A Life in Portraiture and Engraving
Henry Hoppner Meyer was a British portrait painter and an engraver specializing in stipple and mezzotint. Born in London, he began his artistic journey at Christ’s Hospital, where he studied drawing under Benjamin Green. His formal training continued through a seven-year apprenticeship to the engraver Benjamin Smith, and he later refined his skills in engraving under Francesco Bartolozzi at the Royal Academy Schools.
His professional career saw him exhibiting small portrait-paintings at the Royal Academy starting in 1802. Beyond his paintings, he gained recognition for producing mezzotint and stipple engravings of prominent figures. His notable engraved portraits include:
In 1824, he became a founding member of the Society of British Artists, eventually serving as its President from 1828 to 1829.
Technique and Legacy
Meyer’s technical versatility allowed him to leave a mark on various mediums. His stipple engraving of Charles Lamb was displayed at the India Office between 1820 and 1850. He also achieved international recognition through his detailed portrait of D. Pedro as Regent of Portugal, a work printed for an edition of Portugal's second Constitution in 1832.
In his later years, Meyer operated a studio in Fitzrovia, London, where he took on private pupils in portraiture and stipple engraving. His students included Jane Waterhouse and Thomas Fairchild. His works are preserved in several significant institutions, including:
