Henry Hoppner Meyer

Who was Henry Hoppner Meyer?

Henry Meyer was an English portrait painter, more known as a stipple and mezzotint engraver.

Meyer was born John Meyer in London - a son of John Meyer and Anna Torade Hoppner who married at St James Westminster 22 December 1767. Contrary to other accounts Henry Meyer's father was a hairdresser and not an engraver.Joseph Farington recorded that Henry Meyer was a nephew of John Hoppner, referring to him as 'Mier', and in the obituary of Meyer in Gentleman's Magazine.

A prominent early 19th-century artist, Henry Meyer was admitted as a pupil to Christ's Hospital, London in 1791 where he studied under Benjamin Green. On 25 August 1794 he was apprenticed to Benjamin Smith for seven years and ultimately trained in engraving techniques at the Royal Academy Schools under Francesco Bartolozzi.

His first published engravings appeared in the early 19th century attributed to J. H. Meyer, he later dropped the J and most of his works were published under the name Henry Meyer or H. Meyer. In the ensuing years he showed his skill at portraits and decorative subjects.