The artistic production of Gottfried Kniller, who arrived in England in 1676, defined the visual representation of the British elite for decades. By establishing a systematic, high-output studio, he secured his position as the premier portraitist of the late Stuart and early Georgian eras, eventually serving as court painter to multiple monarchs including Charles II and George I.
Early Development and Training
Born in 1646 in the Free City of Lübeck, the son of portrait painter Zacharias Kniller, he initially studied mathematics at the University of Leiden. His interest shifted toward art, leading him to apprentice under Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn in Amsterdam. By 1666, he completed a portrait of Johann Philipp von Schönborn, which is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. During the early 1670s, he traveled through Rome and Venice with his brother, John Zacharias Kneller, refining his skills in the studio of Carlo Maratti.
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Upon arriving in London, he gained the patronage of the Duke of Monmouth and secured commissions from the royal family. Following the death of Sir Peter Lely in 1680, he was appointed Principal Painter in Ordinary to the Crown alongside John Riley. He managed a high-volume studio at The Great Piazza, Covent Garden, employing assistants like Edward Byng to process up to fourteen sitters daily. His work included the Hampton Court Beauties commissioned by Queen Mary II and a set of 48 portraits for the Kit-Cat Club, notable for their 28-inch by 36-inch dimensions.
Public Service and Recognition
Beyond his artistic career, he served as a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex in the early 1700s. His public status was further elevated through various honors: he was knighted by William III in 1692, created a Knight of the Holy Roman Empire by Leopold I in 1700, and made a baronet by George I in 1715. He also led the Kneller Academy of Painting and Drawing in Great Queen Street from 1711 until 1716.
Final Years and Legacy
After suffering from a fever for seventeen months, he died on 19 October 1723 at his residence on Great Queen Street. He was buried at St Mary's Church in Twickenham, where he had previously served as a churchwarden. His estate included a house in Whitton, which later became the site of Kneller Hall. His primary heir was his grandson, Godfrey Kneller Huckle, who adopted the surname Kneller per a condition of the inheritance.
Fast facts
- Born: 1646, Lübeck
- Died: 1723, London
- Principal Occupations: Painter, engraver, draftsperson
- Key Commissions: Hampton Court Beauties
- Notable Honors: Knight Bachelor, baronet
- Burial Site: St Mary's Church, Twickenham
Questions readers ask
Did Godfrey Kneller have any children?
He had no children with his wife, Susanna Grave, though he had an illegitimate daughter, Agnes Huckle, with a woman named Mrs. Voss.
What happened to his studio after his death?
His will provided a pension for his assistant, Edward Byng, and entrusted him with the completion of unfinished works and the stewardship of the studio's drawings.
Achievements
- Knight Bachelor
- Notable work: Portrait of Cornelis de Bruyn, Draughtsman and Traveler
- Notable work: Portrait of the first Earl of Albemarle
- Notable work: An old scholar
- Movement: realism
