DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0362
336
OLD WORLD MASTERS
Charles II, who made him a knight and baronet in 1679. Sir Peter
only enjoyed his honors a year, for he died in 1680. Sir Peter Lely
painted a great number of portraits, including the “Court Beauties,”
which now hang in Hampton Court Palace.
The Court-Painter of Queen Mary II and Queen Anne was another
foreigner, Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723), a native of Lubeck, a pupil
of Ferdinand Bol, Carlo Maratti, and Bernini, with painting experiences
in Rome and Venice. Kneller painted portraits of Charles II, Louis
XIV, James II, William III, Queen Mary, Queen Anne, and George I.
For Queen Mary II he painted the “Beauties” at Hampton Court,
in a certain sense a continuation of Sir Peter Lely’s “Beauties.” Knel-
ler was knighted in 1692 and made a baronet in 1715.
Sir Godfrey painted the members of the Kit-Cat Club and every
person of distinction in England. In 1705 he settled near Twicken-
ham. Pope wrote an epitaph for Kneller’s monument in Westminster
Abbey.
William Hogarth (1697-1764) who now enters the lists, is the first
really English painter. Hogarth was a native of London and an
engraver as well as a painter. Hogarth became Sergeant-Painter to
the King in 1757. He first attracted attention by his prints for But-
ler’s Hudibras in 1726 and at this time began to paint in oils. In-1731
he painted The Harlot’’s Progress and followed this with Southwark
Fair and The Rake’s Progress whicli gave him great fame as a satirist.
In 1745 he painted his own Portrait and the Marriage a la Mode
(six scenes). The vigor and personality of his portraits, the beautiful
coloring of his palette, and the atmosphere of the Eighteenth Century
make Hogarth one of the great names in art. England was a long
time producing an artist; but when he came he was a very great one.
Hogarth was so pre-eminently a chronicler of the fashions and follies
of his time that we are apt to forget his beautiful use of color, and
Hogarth’s technique is so solid and so sure that his colors are as fresh
to-day as when they were painted.
Hogarth did not believe in his powers of portraiture; but the world
does not agree with him. The portrait of Lavinia Fenton as Polly
Peachum in the Beggar’s Opera, (National Gallery, London) ranks as
OLD WORLD MASTERS
Charles II, who made him a knight and baronet in 1679. Sir Peter
only enjoyed his honors a year, for he died in 1680. Sir Peter Lely
painted a great number of portraits, including the “Court Beauties,”
which now hang in Hampton Court Palace.
The Court-Painter of Queen Mary II and Queen Anne was another
foreigner, Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723), a native of Lubeck, a pupil
of Ferdinand Bol, Carlo Maratti, and Bernini, with painting experiences
in Rome and Venice. Kneller painted portraits of Charles II, Louis
XIV, James II, William III, Queen Mary, Queen Anne, and George I.
For Queen Mary II he painted the “Beauties” at Hampton Court,
in a certain sense a continuation of Sir Peter Lely’s “Beauties.” Knel-
ler was knighted in 1692 and made a baronet in 1715.
Sir Godfrey painted the members of the Kit-Cat Club and every
person of distinction in England. In 1705 he settled near Twicken-
ham. Pope wrote an epitaph for Kneller’s monument in Westminster
Abbey.
William Hogarth (1697-1764) who now enters the lists, is the first
really English painter. Hogarth was a native of London and an
engraver as well as a painter. Hogarth became Sergeant-Painter to
the King in 1757. He first attracted attention by his prints for But-
ler’s Hudibras in 1726 and at this time began to paint in oils. In-1731
he painted The Harlot’’s Progress and followed this with Southwark
Fair and The Rake’s Progress whicli gave him great fame as a satirist.
In 1745 he painted his own Portrait and the Marriage a la Mode
(six scenes). The vigor and personality of his portraits, the beautiful
coloring of his palette, and the atmosphere of the Eighteenth Century
make Hogarth one of the great names in art. England was a long
time producing an artist; but when he came he was a very great one.
Hogarth was so pre-eminently a chronicler of the fashions and follies
of his time that we are apt to forget his beautiful use of color, and
Hogarth’s technique is so solid and so sure that his colors are as fresh
to-day as when they were painted.
Hogarth did not believe in his powers of portraiture; but the world
does not agree with him. The portrait of Lavinia Fenton as Polly
Peachum in the Beggar’s Opera, (National Gallery, London) ranks as