King George II (1683-1760) Reigned 1727-60, in 1716, when Prince of Wales

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall

Godfrey Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany. He moved to Amsterdam in 1662 to study painting under Rembrandt and Ferdinand Bol. He later trained with Gianlorenzo Bernini and Carlo Maratta in Rome. He returned to Lübeck in 1675, before moving to Hamburg and then to London to study the works of van Dyck. In England he received commissions from prominent figures, including Charles II. Charles sent Kneller to France in 1684, to paint the portrait of Louis XIV. Kneller maintained his position at court after the accession of James II in 1685 and, when William and Mary came to the throne, he and portraitist John Riley became joint Principal Painters to the Crown. Following Riley’s death, Kneller alone retained the position. He was 77 when he died.
George Hamilton Constantine is best-known as a painter of watercolour landscapes and marine subjects. He was born in Sheffield, the son of a saw-maker, and studied at Sheffield School of Art. He trained in painting restoration at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, before returning to Sheffield where he became Director of the Graves Art Gallery in 1938. Constantine was a member of the Sheffield Society of artists and exhibited his work regularly, including at the Royal Academy in London and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.

People

George II (1683 - 1760)

Places

Subjects

royal portrait, man, ceremonial costume, robe, stockings, wig, lace jabot, garter, riband, tassel, feather (fashion accessory), ribbon (as Subject - costume accessory), shoe, livery collar, crown, Order of the Garter, King, Prince

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

Sir Godfrey, (after) Kneller
George Hamilton Constantine (1878 - 1967)

Title

King George II (1683-1760) Reigned 1727-60, in 1716, when Prince of Wales

Date

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 244.50 cm, width: 152.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from the Trustees of Edward Mark Hovell, December 1959 (previously on loan since 1937)

Inscription

br: George the second / when Prince of Wales. / 1716

Provenance

Collection of Lord Bateman, Shobdon Court, Herefordshire; by descent to the Hon. Mrs Cecilia Hovell (sister of Lord Bateman) and by whom loaned to the Office of Works or Ministry of Works from 1937 to 1952; by descent to Edward Mark Hovell and by whom loaned to the Office of Works or Ministry of Works from 1952 to 1959; from whose trustees purchased by the Ministry of Works in 1959

GAC number

314