About this work
A favourite of the court where his Bavarian parents were employed, John Hoppner benefited from royal patronage during George III’s reign. Following Joshua Reynolds’ retirement in 1789, Hoppner established a reputation as a leading portraitist of his day and was elected to the Royal Academy in 1795. His portraits demonstrate an acute sense of the sitter’s character and vitality. A strong advocate of the primacy of colour in painting – a quality somewhat thwarted by the fashion of the day for simple white gowns for women and black clothes for men – he acted as mentor to the young J. M. W. Turner.