(Lübeck, 8 August 1646 – London, 19 October 1723). As a young man, he studied in the city of Leiden; However, he soon became a favorite pupil of Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt, moving to Amsterdam. Read the full biography
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(Lübeck, 8 August 1646 – London, 19 October 1723). As a young man, he studied in the city of Leiden; However, he soon became a favorite pupil of Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt, moving to Amsterdam. In the early 1670s he worked in Rome and Venice, working on historical subjects and portraits. Returning from his trip to Italy he moved to Hamburg. He was called to England by the Duke of Monmouth, James Crofts, natural son of King Charles II Stuart together with his brother, John Zacharias Kneller, also a painter. He was soon introduced to Charles II, who commissioned a portrait from him. During his English period, Godfrey Kneller concentrated primarily on portraiture. He founded his own studio and placed himself at the service of the English aristocracy and bourgeoisie. He portrayed Charles Lennox, son of the king, the scientists Isaac Newton and Thomas Betterton, the sculptor Grinling Gibbons, the general duke John Churchill and many other great names of nobility and culture. Among his major works, a series of four portraits of Newton , one of portraits of European monarchs including Louis XIV, and over forty portraits of members of the English Kit-Cat club. Upon the death of Sir Peter Lely, Kneller was appointed Principal Painter to the Crown, official court painter. In the following years I created the Hampton Court Beauties, a famous series of portraits for William III. George I made him a baronet.
