Rembrandt

Rembrandt may have been around long before halftones were officially produced, but if one looks at some of the older techniques of artists, it's easier to see where the inspiration of the halftone may have come from. Rembrandt had mastered the chiaroscuro technique, so he was able to use strong highlights and heavy shadows to create smooth appearing depth in a painting. With this ability, he would emphasize faces and hands in all of his portraits, and let the clothing and the setting around them meld into the background smoothly. He also had a very limited color palette, but still managed to create intriguing pieces without the other colors included.