KNELLER, GODFREY, was born in 1648, in the city of Lubeck, and received his first instruction in the art of painting in the school of Rembrandt. He afterwards became a pupil of Ferdinand BoL Having acquired sufficient acquaintance with his profession to qualify him to travel with advantage, he went first to Rome and afterwards to Venice, where he painted several portraits of noble families, and some histori cal pictures, with such success as to gain him considerable reputation, cveu in Italy. Leaving Venice, he went to Hamburg, where he met with extraordinary encouragement, and lastly came to London. Being patronised by the Duke of Monmouth, he was introduced to King Charles 11., whose portrait he painted several times. The death of Sir Peter Lely leaving him without a competitor, the remainder of his life was a career of fame and fortune. He had incessant employ ment, and was distinguished by many public marks of honour. He was state painter to Charles IL, James IL, William 11L, Queen Anne, and George 1. The Emperor Leopold made him a Knight of the Roman Empire, tho Grand Duke of Tuscany asked for his portrait to place it in the Gallery at Florence, and his works were celebrated by the first poets of his time.
Kneller had much of the freedom of Vandyck, but less nature. His outline is bold, his attitudes are easy and not without dignity ; his colouring is lively, the air of his heads generally graceful, and there is a pleasing simplicity in his portraits combined with a oonaiderable degree of elegance. But there is also a monotony in the countenances and a want of spirit in his figures. Thus the beauties of the court of William III., painted by order of the queen, are very inferior and tame in comparison with Sir Peter Lely's beauties of the court of Charles II. In the collection of the Marquis of Bute at Luton House there is a portrait of Sir John Robinson by Kneller, which, says Dr. Waagen, is far more elevated and free in the conception than usual, more carefully finished, and so warm in the colouring that we recognise the scholar of Rembrandt. Sir Godfrey died in 1726, at the age of seventy-eight.