Geller, William Overend (c.1790-1849?; British), after Solari, Andrea (1460-1524; Italian)
Ecce Homo (1845)
Mezzotint
Gift of Joseph Herring, by 1865
National Gallery of Victoria (p.189.6-1)
Solari (also called Solario) was an important Milanese follower of Leonardo da Vinci. The authoritative 1987 catalogue by D.A.Brown apparently lists his paintings of the Ecce Homo in Philadelphia and Leipzig as autograph, also noting similar versions (e.g. in the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan) as good products of his circle. It is unclear exactly which painting formed the basis for this print.
Geller, whose name appears below the image, was a prolific painter and engraver, documented as active in London, particularly during the 1840s.
The NGV also holds a chalk drawing attributed to Solari, a Leonardesque Head of Christ (Felton Bequest, 1949).
Refs.
NGV 1865, p.40 (Engravings, no.3); not listed in NGV 1894 or 1905
The current NGV catalogue, noting Herring as the donor, describes this print as by an unknown print-maker after Solari; also listed in PF, under 1868
For Solari, see Martin Davies, The Earlier Italian Schools, London: National Gallery, 2nd rev.ed., 1961, p.489; David Alan Brown, Andrea Solario, Milan: Electa, 1987 (I have yet to locate a copy of this book); for Brown’s opinion regarding autograph and studio versions, see e.g. https://www.dorotheum.com/en/l/460765/ (2017 auction entry for a studio variant; accessed 25 July 2019). See also Bénézit 12, pp.1436-37 (as Solario, c.1470-1524); and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Solari. For the NGV drawing (acc.no.1972-4, listed under Solario), see https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/40608/ (with details and reproduction)
For Geller, see e.g. AKL 51 (2006), p.211 (dates as noted above) and Bénézit 5, p.1463; cf. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21466079 (listing Geller’s dates as 1804-81)