He painted historical works in Venice under Carlo Maratta, and his own assistants included Edward Byng and John Jacob Bakker.
He painted historical works in Venice under Carlo Maratta, and his own assistants included Edward Byng and John Jacob Bakker. His sitters included the missionary Shen Fu Tsung, whose depiction as The Chinese Convert was owned by James II, as well as 14 naval commanders whose portraits were completed for Queen Anne and Prince George of Denmark. His glamorous portraits of the Royal Ladies in Waiting are now known as the Hampton Court Beauties. This rival of Peter Lely's, who succeeded him as Charles II's Painter to the Crown, eventually bought a house at Whitton where he became Alexander Pope's neighbor; fitting, since he would go on to paint the leading literary figures of his day, including Pope, Steele, and Vanbrugh, in a namesake series of less than half length portraits. For 10 points, identify this Lubeck born painter, best known for his portraits of the Kit-Kat club.
He painted historical works in Venice under Carlo Maratta, and his own assistants included Edward Byng and John Jacob Bakker.
Sir Godfrey Kneller