Matthew Prior
Portrait
ca. 1700 (made)
ca. 1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Portraits of literary figures became increasingly common in the late 17th century.
Subjects Depicted
Matthew Prior (1664-1721) was a famous poet, diplomat and politician, who became a fellow of St John's College Cambridge in 1688. He published translations from Horace and Ovid, and throughout his life wrote poems and essays. Prior was a collector of paintings and prints.
People
Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany. He studied mathematics and military fortification at Leyden University about 1662, and was then apprenticed in Amsterdam to the painters Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt. He travelled to Italy, particularly Rome and Venice. He settled in England in 1676, and by 1678 had secured royal patronage. Kneller was appointed in 1688 as Principal Painter to William III and was knighted in 1692. Kneller became a leading fashionable portrait painter. He inherited the leading and fashionable position of Lely as a prolific exponent of the baroque portrait in England. His famous series of 36 by 28 inch half-length portraits (Kit-cat portraits), named after the Kit-cat Club, whose members were the sitters, decisively influenced the course of 18th-century English portraiture. He was also renowned for the series of portraits of ladies at the royal court, the Hampton Court 'Beauties' 1690-1691.
Portraits of literary figures became increasingly common in the late 17th century.
Subjects Depicted
Matthew Prior (1664-1721) was a famous poet, diplomat and politician, who became a fellow of St John's College Cambridge in 1688. He published translations from Horace and Ovid, and throughout his life wrote poems and essays. Prior was a collector of paintings and prints.
People
Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany. He studied mathematics and military fortification at Leyden University about 1662, and was then apprenticed in Amsterdam to the painters Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt. He travelled to Italy, particularly Rome and Venice. He settled in England in 1676, and by 1678 had secured royal patronage. Kneller was appointed in 1688 as Principal Painter to William III and was knighted in 1692. Kneller became a leading fashionable portrait painter. He inherited the leading and fashionable position of Lely as a prolific exponent of the baroque portrait in England. His famous series of 36 by 28 inch half-length portraits (Kit-cat portraits), named after the Kit-cat Club, whose members were the sitters, decisively influenced the course of 18th-century English portraiture. He was also renowned for the series of portraits of ladies at the royal court, the Hampton Court 'Beauties' 1690-1691.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Title | Matthew Prior (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | oil on canvas |
| Brief description | Oil painting, Portrait of Matthew Prior, Godfrey Kneller, ca. 1700 |
| Physical description | oil painting on canvas |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This portrait of the poet, diplomat and politician Matthew Prior (1664-1721) was painted by the leading portrait painter of the day, Sir Godfrey Kneller, whose self portrait is shown on the left. Prior was a friend of the Earl of Oxford, who owned the land on which Henrietta Street was built.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce, 1869 |
| Object history | Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce, 1869 Painted in London, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (born, Lübeck, Germany, 1646, died in London, 1723) |
| Summary | Object Type Portraits of literary figures became increasingly common in the late 17th century. Subjects Depicted Matthew Prior (1664-1721) was a famous poet, diplomat and politician, who became a fellow of St John's College Cambridge in 1688. He published translations from Horace and Ovid, and throughout his life wrote poems and essays. Prior was a collector of paintings and prints. People Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany. He studied mathematics and military fortification at Leyden University about 1662, and was then apprenticed in Amsterdam to the painters Ferdinand Bol and Rembrandt. He travelled to Italy, particularly Rome and Venice. He settled in England in 1676, and by 1678 had secured royal patronage. Kneller was appointed in 1688 as Principal Painter to William III and was knighted in 1692. Kneller became a leading fashionable portrait painter. He inherited the leading and fashionable position of Lely as a prolific exponent of the baroque portrait in England. His famous series of 36 by 28 inch half-length portraits (Kit-cat portraits), named after the Kit-cat Club, whose members were the sitters, decisively influenced the course of 18th-century English portraiture. He was also renowned for the series of portraits of ladies at the royal court, the Hampton Court 'Beauties' 1690-1691. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | DYCE.64&:1 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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