Godfrey Kneller was born in Lübeck, Germany. He moved to Amsterdam in 1662 to study painting under Rembrandt van Rijn and Ferdinand Bol. He later trained with Gianlorenzo Bernini and Carlo Maratta in Rome. After returning to Lübeck in 1675, he moved to Hamburg and then to London to study the works of Sir Anthony van Dyck. In England he received commissions from prominent figures, including Charles II. In 1684, Charles sent him to France 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, Kneller and portraitist John Riley became joint Principal Painters to the Crown. Following Riley’s death, Kneller alone retained the position.
