DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63509#0106
SIR GODFREY KNELLER.
from the man’s Christian and surname, at whose house the meetings were held,
Christopher Cat who kept the Fountain Tavern in the Strand. All the wit,
talent, and eloquence of the country, were united in this assembly, Addison,
Congreve, Steele, Garth, and a constellation of the brightest wits, enlivened
the parties on their nightly meetings; and of this society, Sir Godfrey was a
member, and painted the portraits of the whole; which were afterwards
engraved in mezzotinto by Faber, and published by Jacob Tonson the book-
seller, who was secretary to the club, and in whose family the original paintings
remain to the present time, in the collection of-Baker, Esq. son of the
late representative for the county of Hertford, who married one of Tonson’s
female descendants.
Kneller received very liberal prices for these pictures, from the members,
who gratuitously presented them to the society, and from these the appellation
of Kit Cat size, is still used among painters and connoisseurs.
Sir Godfrey Kneller possessed great freedom and nature in his works, and
drew a bold outline; disposed his figures with judgment, ease, dignity, and
taste. The airs of his heads are generally graceful, and the hair disposed
with a natural and becoming flow; at the same time it must be confessed he
had the difficulty of contending against the preposterous fashion of the
enormous perukes that were generally worn in his time, which, so suddenly
following the chaste and simple head-dresses of Lely’s pictures, rendered a
stiffness in Kneller’s no way favorable to the latter, when brought in com-
parison with the works of the former artist.
Kneller was well known to, and particularly acquainted with the celebrated
Doctor Radcliffe, with whom he lived next door neighbour, enjoying the
benefit of a large garden in common between them, which once had nearly
lost the friendship they had for a long time mutually cherished. One of the
Doctor’s servants having trespassed on a part of the garden where Sir Godfrey
had planted some choice flowers, he sent word in anger, that he would close
the door which communicated his part with that of the Doctor’s, who returned
for answer, Sir Godfrey might do what he pleased with the door in question,
except painting it on the Doctor’s side. Sir Godfrey, who was a man of
remarkable mild manners, observed to the messenger, he could take that, or
any thing else from his good friend the Doctor but his physic.
Of all the pictures Sir Godfrey painted, he appeared to be most vain of the
portrait of the converted Chinese, at Windsor, which, it must be confessed,
is the least mannered of his numerous works. He died, verv rich and uni-
versally respected, at the advanced age of seventy-eight, in the year 1726.
Johnson, Typ. Brook Street, Holborn.
from the man’s Christian and surname, at whose house the meetings were held,
Christopher Cat who kept the Fountain Tavern in the Strand. All the wit,
talent, and eloquence of the country, were united in this assembly, Addison,
Congreve, Steele, Garth, and a constellation of the brightest wits, enlivened
the parties on their nightly meetings; and of this society, Sir Godfrey was a
member, and painted the portraits of the whole; which were afterwards
engraved in mezzotinto by Faber, and published by Jacob Tonson the book-
seller, who was secretary to the club, and in whose family the original paintings
remain to the present time, in the collection of-Baker, Esq. son of the
late representative for the county of Hertford, who married one of Tonson’s
female descendants.
Kneller received very liberal prices for these pictures, from the members,
who gratuitously presented them to the society, and from these the appellation
of Kit Cat size, is still used among painters and connoisseurs.
Sir Godfrey Kneller possessed great freedom and nature in his works, and
drew a bold outline; disposed his figures with judgment, ease, dignity, and
taste. The airs of his heads are generally graceful, and the hair disposed
with a natural and becoming flow; at the same time it must be confessed he
had the difficulty of contending against the preposterous fashion of the
enormous perukes that were generally worn in his time, which, so suddenly
following the chaste and simple head-dresses of Lely’s pictures, rendered a
stiffness in Kneller’s no way favorable to the latter, when brought in com-
parison with the works of the former artist.
Kneller was well known to, and particularly acquainted with the celebrated
Doctor Radcliffe, with whom he lived next door neighbour, enjoying the
benefit of a large garden in common between them, which once had nearly
lost the friendship they had for a long time mutually cherished. One of the
Doctor’s servants having trespassed on a part of the garden where Sir Godfrey
had planted some choice flowers, he sent word in anger, that he would close
the door which communicated his part with that of the Doctor’s, who returned
for answer, Sir Godfrey might do what he pleased with the door in question,
except painting it on the Doctor’s side. Sir Godfrey, who was a man of
remarkable mild manners, observed to the messenger, he could take that, or
any thing else from his good friend the Doctor but his physic.
Of all the pictures Sir Godfrey painted, he appeared to be most vain of the
portrait of the converted Chinese, at Windsor, which, it must be confessed,
is the least mannered of his numerous works. He died, verv rich and uni-
versally respected, at the advanced age of seventy-eight, in the year 1726.
Johnson, Typ. Brook Street, Holborn.