Jeremiah Meyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeremiah Meyer
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|---|---|
| Jeremias Majer | |
Jeremiah Meyer, Esq. R.A.,
miniature painter in Enamel to His Majesty. (William Pether, Yale Center for British Art) |
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| Born |
Jeremias Majer
18 January 1735 Tübingen, Germany
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| Died | 20 January 1789 (aged 54) Kew, Surrey
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| Resting place | St Anne's Church, Kew |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Marsden
(m. 1763) |
| Patron(s) | King George III Queen Charlotte |
Jeremiah Meyer (born Jeremias Majer; 18 January 1735 – 20 January 1789) was a famous English artist. He was known for painting very small, detailed portraits called miniatures. He worked for important people like Queen Charlotte and King George III. Jeremiah Meyer was also one of the artists who helped start the Royal Academy, a famous art school in London.
Early Life and Learning to Paint
Jeremiah Meyer was born in Tübingen, a town in Germany. His father, Wolfgang Dietrich Majer, was also a painter. Around 1750, when Jeremiah was about 15 years old, his family moved to England.
In England, Jeremiah Meyer studied a special type of painting. He learned how to paint with enamel, which uses powdered glass that is heated until it melts. This creates a very smooth and shiny surface. He was also inspired by the detailed work of another famous painter, Joshua Reynolds.
A Career in Art
Jeremiah Meyer became very skilled at painting miniatures. These tiny portraits were popular because people could carry them easily. They were often worn as jewelry or kept in small cases.
- Showing His Work: In the 1760s, Meyer started showing his enamel paintings at art exhibitions.
- Winning Awards: In 1761, he won a special gold medal. This was for a portrait he drew of the king.
- Working for Royalty: The king liked Meyer's work so much that he gave Queen Charlotte a miniature portrait of himself painted by Meyer. It was set in a beautiful bracelet!
- Official Painter: By 1764, Meyer was officially chosen as the miniature painter for Queen Charlotte. He also became the enamel painter for King George III.
Meyer was a very important figure in the art world. In 1768, he became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy. This was a big deal because the Royal Academy is still one of the most important art institutions in the UK. He even helped create a special fund to support artists who needed help.
Some of Meyer's portraits were so good that they were used on coins! For example, his profile of King George III appeared on a coin for a German region in 1767.
His Family and Later Life
In 1762, Jeremiah Meyer became a British citizen. The next year, in 1763, he married Barbara Marsden, who was also an artist. They had several children together. One of their sons, George Charles Meyer, even worked in India.
Later in his life, Meyer moved to Kew, a lovely area in London. He lived in a house that became known as 'Meyer's House'. A nearby road was even called 'Meyer's Alley' for many years after him. Today, his old house is called 'Hanover House' and is part of the famous Kew Gardens.
Jeremiah Meyer passed away in Kew on 20 January 1789. He is buried in the churchyard of St Anne's Church, Kew, near another famous painter, Thomas Gainsborough. There is a special plaque inside the church that remembers him. His wife lived in their house until she passed away in 1818.
Images for kids
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Jeremiah Meyer, Esq. R.A., miniature painter in Enamel to His Majesty.
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Miniature portrait of General Thomas Gage by Jeremiah Meyer.
