John Hoppner

John Hoppner was born in London, April 25, 1758 and died in London, January 23, 1810.

One of the most successful portrait painters in the generation succeeding Joshua Reynolds, Hoppner was a close rival of the future Royal Academy president, Thomas Lawrence. While a young chorister in the Chapel Royal, Hoppner's drawing skills attracted the notice of George III, who provided a small royal allowance and sent the boy to study with his keeper of drawings and medals. The king's interest fueled rumors that Hoppner (whose mother was a lady-in-waiting at court) was in fact George III's illegitimate son. Having entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1775, Hoppner first exhibited there in 1780. The following year he married an American, Phoebe Wright, thus forfeiting his royal allowance. However, by 1789 he had become portrait painter to the Prince of Wales (later George IV) and was elected a Royal Academician in 1795. He traveled extensively through England, Scotland, and Wales, and visited Paris in 1802 with Turner and Fuseli.