Wallis born in
London, the son of Thomas Wallis, who was an assistant of
Charles Heath (1785–1848) and died in 1839. He was taught by his father, and became one of the ablest of the group of supremely skilful landscape-engravers who flourished during the second quarter of the nineteenth century, particularly excelling in the interpretation of the work of
Joseph Mallord William Turner. Turner's "England and Wales" and "Rivers of France", Charles Heath's "Picturesque Annual", Robert Jennings's ‘Landscape Annual’, the fine editions of the works of
Walter Scott,
Thomas Campbell, and
Samuel Rogers, the "Keepsake", the "Amulet", the "Literary Souvenir", and many other publications. On a larger scale he engraved various plates for "
The Art Journal" from pictures by
Turner,
Callcott,
Stanfield,
Fripp, and others. He also created engravings for the Turner Gallery, including an engraving after Turner's painting
Entrance of the Meuse. Wallis's finest productions are the large plates after Turner, "Lake of Nemi" and "Approach to Venice"; a proof of the latter was exhibited at the
Royal Academy in 1859, and on its completion he retired from the profession. The remainder of his life was passed at
Brighton, where he died on 23 November 1878. ==Family==