Sir Godfrey Kneller was a leading English Baroque portraitist whose subjects included nobility, politicians, poets, writers and other notable figures. His figurative and portrait paintings were in great demand for more than three decades around the turn of the 18th century.
Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany, in 1646. His father was a painter and a city surveyor, positions which gave Kneller the opportunity of a university education. He studied mathematics at Leiden University in the Netherlands before shifting to painting, studying under luminaries such as Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt.
In 1672, Kneller moved to Italy where he spent time in Rome and Venice painting portraits for the nobility. Around 1676, he moved to England, where he opened a studio. An encounter with the Duke of Monmouth led to an introduction to King Charles II, and Kneller became a court painter, garnering a reputation for his grand style. The young painter’s portraits had a penetrating quality that evoked the subject’s presence through like-like qualities on canvas.
In 1684, Kneller traveled to France to paint Louis XIV. Following the death of Charles II, he became the court painter for James II and later worked for his successors, William and Mary. Kneller was knighted in 1692 and received an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Oxford in 1695.
Between 1700 and 1720, he painted 42 portraits of members of the Kit-Cat Club, a political and literary group. Mary II also commissioned him to paint the Hampton Court Beauties, a series of paintings featuring the most graceful ladies of the royal court.
In 1711, Kneller became the governor of the London Academy and subsequently won re-election every year until 1718. King George I made him a baronet in 1715.
Kneller died in London in 1723, with hundreds of unfinished paintings remaining in the prolific portrait master's studio.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Sir Godfrey Kneller’s paintings.
Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Cromwell as The Magdalen with a Prayer Book
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Taunton, GB
Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Southwell (neé Cromwell), as the Magdalene, half-length wearing a red dress with black veil, a prayer book by her side Oil on canvas, circa 1705 In a ca...
Oil
$26,952
Portrait of James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665-1745), three-quarter length
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Taunton, GB
Portrait of James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665-1745), three-quarter length, standing wearing Armour, holding his baton, a skirmish beyond Oil on canvas In a carved wood frame ...
Oil
Portrait Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland c.1690–1695 Oil painting
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
Portrait of Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland (1653–1708) c.1690–1695 Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723) Few portraits embody the visual authority and dynastic sy...
Canvas, Oil
3rd Countess of Dysart, Grace Wilbraham
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Douglas, Isle of Man
Sir Godfrey Kneller 1646-1723, was a German born British portrait painter. He was, apparently according to one of our sources, born in Leiden and studied under Bol and Rembrandt, be...
Canvas, Oil
William Lord Russell
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Douglas, Isle of Man
Sir Godfrey Kneller 1646-1723, was a German born English portrait painter. He was a pupil of Bol and Rembrandt, he was born in Leiden, travelled to Rome , Venice, Hamburg and later t...
Canvas, Oil
Full length portrait of Lady Elizabeth Cromwell as the Magdalen
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Taunton, GB
Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Cromwell as the Magdalen, full length seated in a landscape wearing a red dress and blue robes Oil on canvas THE SOUTHWELL COLLECTION Everett Fine Art i...
Oil
Portrait of Lady Caroline Price
By George Romney
Located in Miami, FL
DESCRIPTION: Perhaps the best Romney in private hands. If Vogue Magazine existed in the late 18th century, this image of Lady Caroline Price would be ...
Oil, Canvas
$6,171
H 10.63 in W 18.31 in
Portrait of a naked woman after a card play
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Pierre-Albert BÉGAUD (Bordeaux 1901 – 1956) End of game Oil on canvas H. 27 cm; L. 46.5 cm Signed lower right Pierre-Albert Bégaud is a French portrait and landscape painter born in...
Oil, Canvas
$8,000
H 39.38 in W 27.56 in D 0.79 in
Gerberas - Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting, Realistic Little Girl Portrait
By Kamil Lisek
Located in Hallein, AT
KAMIL LISEK (born in 1980) Studied under the guidance of prof. Maciej Świeszewski at the faculty of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk. He graduated with distinction obta...
Canvas, Oil, Linen
$3,092
H 36 in W 31.5 in
Mid-18th-Century German School, Portrait Of An Aristocrat In Armour, Oil
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This mid-18th-century half-length German portrait depicts a middle-aged aristocrat wearing armour and a wig. Despite his heavily-clad appearance, it’s likely that this rather noncha...
Oil, Canvas
Mid-17th-Century Madrid School, Saint Elijah
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This commanding mid-17th-century Spanish Baroque painting depicts Saint Elijah wrapped in a coarse Carmelite habit and raising a flaming sword. Towering within the vertical composit...
Oil, Canvas
$31,200
H 40.16 in W 33.9 in
Portrait of a lady in a masquerade costume, signed F. de Troy, French 18th c.
Located in PARIS, FR
Portrait of a lady in a masquerade costume by François de Troy (1645–1730) Signed lower right: peint… de Troy… 18th century France, Paris, circa 1715-1720. Canvas: h. 81 cm, w. 65 cm...
Canvas, Oil
$3,950
H 27.5 in W 19.5 in
19th century English Portrait of a Young boy in a Cavalier costume
Located in Woodbury, CT
This elegant English 19th-century portrait of a young boy dressed in a Cavalier costume, painted circa 1860, is a striking example of Victorian portraiture that seamlessly combines h...
Canvas, Oil
$1,485
H 18.9 in W 17.33 in D 3.94 in
Period Italian Giovanni Francesco Romanelli Follower Painting
Located in Roma, IT
This not signed very interesting oil painting on canvas dates back to the mid-17th century. It depicts the Virgin Mary kneeling and reading the Book of Hours. It is the work of an ...
Canvas, Oil
$5,727
H 49.5 in W 35 in D 2 in
The Transfiguration Of Christ, 18th-Century French-Flemish Religious Painting
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This impressive early 18th-century oil painting attributed to French-Flemish artist Matthieu Elias (1658-1741) depicts the Transfiguration of Christ, one of the most extraordinary ep...
Oil, Canvas, Board
$6,285
H 37.8 in W 30.71 in
17th-Century Flemish Oil - Saint Barbara, A Symbol of Protection and Resilience
Located in Aartselaar, BE
17th century Flemish School, Saint Barbara This accomplished 17th-century Flemish oil painting depicts Saint Barbara, shown as a serene and powerful woman dressed in a luminous red gown, set against a warm, atmospheric background and proudly holding her traditional attribute; a tower. The invention of the present composition stems from 17th century Antwerp and was likely drawn by Theodoor van Thulden...
Canvas, Oil
$3,032
H 33.5 in W 27 in
Mid 18th-Century German School, Portrait Of Dr Johann David Wechsler
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This intriguing mid 18th-century German oil painting depicts Dr Johann David Wechsler, a respected civic figure. Painted around 1760, when Wechsler was in his early 30s, it presents ...
Canvas, Oil
$10,857
H 42.52 in W 35.43 in
Portrait of a Duchess of Humières, French late 17th century, circle of J.F. Voet
Located in PARIS, FR
Portrait of Anne-Louise-Julie de Crevant, Duchess of Humières French School, late 17th century, circa 1685 (unsigned) Circle of Jacob Ferdinand Voet (Antwerp 1639 – Paris 1689) Oil ...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 55.12 in W 45.67 in D 3.75 in
Portrait of an Elegant Lady with Pet Dog c.1690; Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
At a glance: A grand and highly decorative late Stuart portrait, this elegant 50 x 40 inch canvas depicts a young lady seated in a wooded landscape with her pet dog resting affectio...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 37.8 in W 32.68 in D 2.37 in
Portrait of a Gentleman in a Red Coat and Periwig, c.1715-1725; Godfrey Kneller
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
Portrait of a Gentleman in a Red Coat and Periwig, c.1715-1725 Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723) This portrait of a gentleman, presented by Titan Fine Art, is a fine and wel...
Canvas, Oil
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H 37.01 in W 32.68 in D 2.37 in
Portrait Gentleman, William Clayton, 1st Baron Sundon, Studio of Godfrey Kneller
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
Portrait of a Gentleman, William Clayton, 1st Baron Sundon of Ardagh c.1695-1710 Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) This sumptuous portrait, presented by Titan Fine Art, was ...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 57.49 in W 48.43 in D 2.37 in
Portrait of Thomas Smith Esq, circa 1705, Excellent Quality and Provenance
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
Portrait of Thomas Smith Esquire c.1705 Sir Godfrey Kneller Bt. (1646-1723) Inscribed on dog collar ‘Tomas Smith’ This sumptuous large-scale portrait, with its interesting history, was painted by one of the best and most famous English portrait painters, Sir Godfrey Kneller. Kneller completed portraits of all the key figures of the time and was court painter to four sovereigns. He played a key role in the development of British art and influenced countless artists over generations. This portrait is one of his finest Augustan style portraits for which he is now best remembered and it dates from his later middle period when he produced his most distinguished paintings. The sitter is Thomas Smith Esq and inscribed on the dog collar is “Tomas Smith”. It is possible that he is a member of the large Lincolnshire Smith family which included the explorer John Smith (1580-1631) – but it is certain that he had considerable wealth as he commissioned the most fashionable artist in the country. Shown standing in a romantic landscape dressed in a tight-fitting green coat with a cloak drawn across it and a full-bottomed wig, he carries a sword and has a greyhound by his side. Just visible on the dog’s collar is an inscription: ‘Tomas Smith’. Portraits showing sitters walking through romantic landscapes had been made popular in the previous century by the great court portraitist Sir Anthony van Dyck, and Kneller would no doubt have looked to these earlier works as a template for this portrait. The sitter gazes confidently towards the viewer with a greyhound at his side. Kneller has succeeded in capturing the aristocratic confidence that many of his sitters would have wished to display. It is clear to see how Kneller uses the aristocratic gaze and excess of drapery to create portraits that personifies grandeur and extravagance. Its remarkable quality is evidenced by the fact that it was chosen to be exhibited in New York (in 1986) by the prestigious and one of the oldest commercial art galleries in the world, Colnaghi. From there, it was acquired by one of the greatest twentieth century collectors, Ray Livingstone Murphy (New York circa 1930/40). Murphy had travelled extensively throughout Europe building a collection of important books, paintings and porcelain. It is said that the breadth of his collection was only rivalled by the collection of William Beckford in the previous century. Kneller appears to have been an artist Murphy was particularly fond of as he also owned the oil sketch of William III on horseback, now located at the Het Loo Palace in Holland. The notable quality of the present portrait is further demonstrated by its inclusion in J. D. Stewart’s book “Sir Godfrey Kneller and the English Baroque Portrait” (Oxford University Press, 1983 pg. 137, n. 796). Kneller, who was German-born and Dutch trained, studied under Ferdinand Bol, and perhaps Rembrandt himself in the 1660s. He was in Rome and Venice between 1672 and 1675, settling in England in 1676 for life. He was soon employed at Court and became the most successful portraitist of the generation following Lely. He enjoyed the office of Principal Painter, at first jointly with John Riley (d.1691), from shortly after the accession of William and Mary in 1688 until his death. He was knighted in 1692 and became a baronet in 1715. His major works include a series of ten reigning European monarchs, including King Louis XIV of France; over 40 “Kit-cat portraits” of members of the Kit-Cat Club; and ten “beauties” of the court of William III. He was also head of the Kneller Academy of Painting and Drawing 1711-1716 in Great Queen Street, London. Titan Fine Art are pleased to present this striking and sumptuous portrait by the best artist of the period, and at the time he was producing his best works. Presented in a fine quality carved and gilded period frame with inscription on the bottom. Provenance: Private Collection, England Colnaghi, London Ray Livingston Murphy (1923-1953), New York (acquired from the above), and by descent to Dr James Murphy, New York Art Market, Dallas Philip Mould...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 57 in W 47 in D 4 in
Portrait of Isabella Marshall - Very Large 18th Century Georgian Oil Painting
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Gerrards Cross, GB
‘Portrait of Isabella Marshall’ by Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723). This large fine early 18th century oil painting of a Georgian beauty is signed an...
Oil
Sold
H 50 in W 41 in
Portrait of Mrs. Fisher of Packerton, Warwick in Brown dress with Blue Shawl
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in Miami, FL
Three-quarter-length, in a blue dress and red shawl, a wooded landscape in the distance Provenance: Sotheby's The work is stunning and has a great elegant presence in person
Oil