The mother of JOHN HOPPNER was one of the German attendants at the Royal
Palace. He was born in London in the summer of 1759. George the Third
took a strong personal interest in the bringing up and education of the
child, whose sweet musical voice and correct ear soon won for him the
post and white stole of a chorister in the royal chapel. Of course there
were motives attributed in explanation of the king's kindness and
benevolence, and the boy himself, it would appear, was not eager to
contradict a slander which ascribed to him illustrious, if illicit,
descent. The world chose to see confirmation of the rumours in this
respect, in the favour subsequently extended to the young man by the
Prince of Wales, who supported him actively against such formidable
rivals as Lawrence, Owen, and Opie, and was the means of directing a
stream of aristocratic patronage to his studio. He entered as a
probationer the school of the Royal Academy--passing gradually through
the various stages of studentship, and emerging at last a candidate for
the highest prizes of the institution. He underwent few of the
privations of the beginner--knew little of the trials and struggles of
the ordinary student. Almost 'a royal road' was opened for him. So soon
as he could draw and colour decently, patrons were ready for him. Mrs.
Jordan sat--now as the Comic Muse--now as Hippolyte; a 'lady of quality'
was depicted as a Bacchante. Then came portraits of the Duke and Duchess
of York, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Clarence. He lived in
Charles Street, close to Carlton House, and wrote himself 'Portrait
painter to the Prince of Wales.' The king and queen were quite willing
to favour their son's favourite, particularly as they believed, with
many other people of the time, that the heir-apparent 'had a taste.' But
soon obstacles came between them and the painter. They had never liked
Reynolds. Hoppner, full of honest admiration of Sir Joshua, did not
hesitate to sound his praises even in the unwilling eyes of royalty. The
question, as he held, was one of art, not of kingly predilection. It was
uncourtierlike, and the monarch was much displeased. He could not endure
contradiction or opposition even in regard to matters of which he knew
nothing whatever, such as art for instance. Then the giddy proceedings
of the minor and rival court at Carlton House were desperately annoying
to plain 'Farmer George;' and in a small way Hoppner had become
celebrated in the Prince's circle: for the painter was gaily disposed,
witty, and high-spirited. The Prince of Wales having thrown himself into
the open arms of the Whigs, Mr. Hoppner must needs become a zealous
politician, espousing the principles of the party opposed to the king.
He could expect little from their most gracious majesties after that. He
obtained nothing. Certainly he was imprudent. What had a painter to do
with politics? He thus diminished gravely the area of his prospects. It
became quite impossible for Tory noblemen and gentlemen of distinction
to bestow patronage upon, sit for their pictures to, a Whig
portrait-painter. Why, he might caricature them! And after painting all
his Whig friends and associates, what was he to do? with a rival in the
field by no means to be despised or held cheaply.