John Hoppner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hoppner
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Self-portrait (c.1780)
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| Born | 4 April 1758 (baptised) Whitechapel, London, England
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| Died | 23 January 1810 (aged 51) London, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Painter |
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Notable work
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Mary Linwood Lord Nelson |
John Hoppner RA (4 April 1758 – 23 January 1810) was an important English portrait painter. He was greatly inspired by another famous artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds. Hoppner became well-known for his brilliant use of colors in his paintings.
Contents
Early Life and Art Training
John Hoppner was born in Whitechapel, London. His parents were German, and his mother worked at the royal palace. King George III took a special interest in young John. This led to some rumors, but they were not true. The King simply supported Hoppner's artistic talents.
John first sang in the royal chapel as a chorister (a choir singer). But he loved art even more. In 1775, he joined the Royal Academy, a famous art school. He won a silver medal in 1778 for drawing from real life. In 1782, he won the Academy's top award, a gold medal, for his historical painting of King Lear.
A Career in Portrait Painting
Hoppner first showed his art at the Royal Academy in 1780. He really loved painting landscapes (pictures of nature). However, he needed to earn money. So, he decided to focus on portrait painting, which was more popular and paid better.
He quickly became very successful. Rich and fashionable people wanted him to paint their portraits. He was a big competitor to another rising artist, Thomas Lawrence. Hoppner mostly painted real people. He rarely tried to paint imaginary scenes or characters.
Many of his best portraits were displayed in the royal palace. These included paintings of the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, and Lord Nelson. Other famous people he painted were Sir Walter Scott and the Duke of Wellington.
Experts thought his best works were portraits of women and children. He was known for using bright and beautiful colors. Over time, some of his paintings faded. But when his well-preserved works are seen, his fame as a great colorist is clear. Even though his drawing could sometimes be better, his paintings had a broad and free style. This gave them a little bit of the charm found in Reynolds's art.
In 1803, he published a book called A Series of Portraits of Ladies. These were engravings made from his paintings. In 1805, he also published a book of translated Eastern stories written as poems.
Interestingly, Hoppner painted the background of a portrait by Thomas Gainsborough. This was a full-length painting of Charlotte, Countess Talbot done in 1788, the year Gainsborough died. This painting is now in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
Personal Life
John Hoppner was a very social person. He was known for being knowledgeable and well-rounded.
He married Phoebe Wright. Her father was an American sculptor named Patience Wright. John and Phoebe had five children. We know a bit about four of them:
- Catherine Hampden Hoppner (1784–1828) became a Magistrate for the East India Company.
- Richard Belgrave Hoppner (1786–1872) was a British Consul general in Venice. He was also a friend of the famous poet Lord Byron.
- Wilson (sometimes called William) Lascelles Hoppner (1788-?) also became an artist.
- Henry Parkyns Hoppner (1795–1833) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was an Arctic explorer and also an artist.
Death
In his later years, John Hoppner suffered from a long-term liver illness. He passed away on 23 January 1810.
Gallery
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Dr. Matthias Hoffman, Province House (Nova Scotia)
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Girl with rabbit, 1800, Städelsches Kunstinstitut
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Georgiana St Leger and her son Pascoe St Leger Grenfell c1800
See also
In Spanish: John Hoppner para niños
