Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/313

 MEH

1EY

MEHEUX, Francis, engraver. Born| at Dover in 1644, and practised till the end of that century, both with the graver andj in mezzo-tint. |

MEHEUX, John, painter. Practised in the second half of trie 19th century. Wil- liam Blake engraved after him ' Clorinda ' and * Robin Hood.' i

MELLISH, Thomas, marine painter. He practised about the middle of the 18th century, painting seaside scenes with figures, shipping, &c.

♦MERCIER, Philip, portrait painter. Was bora at Berlin, of a French refugee family, in 1689 ? and educated in the Aca- demy of that city. He studied in France and Italy, and afterwards went to Han- over, where Frederick, Prince of Wales, appointed him his portrait painter ana brought him to England, retaining him in his service. After nine years he lost the prince's favour, and was dismissed. He then talked of abandoning his profession, and bought a small property in the country, but he soon returned to London, and took a house in Covent Garden, where he painted portraits and subjects of familiar life. He afterwards went to York, where he met with encouragement, and for a short time to Portugal and Ireland. There is a por- trait by him of Queen Anne, and at the GarrickiClub of Peg Woffington. Houston mezzo- tinted his * Avarice' and * Innocence,' and Faber and McArdell also engraved after him. He died July 18, 1760.

MEROIER, Charlotte, painter and engraver. She was the daughter of the above, and, brought up to art, was skilled both as a painter and engraver. Her * Four Ages : Childhood, Youth, Womanhood, and Decrepit Age/ were engraved by Ravenet. She was unmarried, and abandoning her- self to a vicious life, she died in the work- house of St. James', Westminster, February 21,1762.

METZ, Miss Caroline M., subject painter. She was the daughter of Conrad Metz, a German artist, who came to Lon- don. She first exhibited flowers and fruit at the Academy in 1773-74, and in 1780 contributed drawings, and from that time finished designs in chalk — in 1781, ' Antony and Cleopatra ; ' in 1782, * Boadicea ;*' in 1783, *A Spartan Youth charged with Intemperance ; ' in 1788, * The Feast of the Gods ; ' and continued to exhibit sub- jects of the same class, with occasionally a portrait or a landscape, up to 1794. Her 4 Country School ' is engraved by C. Turner. In 1772 Miss Gertrude Metz exhibited fruit and flowers at the Spring Gardens' Rooms.

ME VES, Augustus, miniature painter.

He practised early in trie 19th century, but

does not appear to have exhibited. He

died suddenly at Shoreditch, where he was

292

living, in 1818 ; and founded on some am- biguity in his will, and the statements of his widow, his son, then 33 years of age, assumed to be the l)auphin of France, pro- bably with less ground of claim than other pretenders.

MEYER, Jeremiah, R.A., miniature painter. Was born at Tubingen, Wurtem- oerg, 1735, and came to this country with his father at the age of 14. He entered as a student in the St. Martin's Lane Aca- demy, of which he was for many years a member. He studied under Zincke 1 757-58,

faying 200J. for the two years' pupilage, n 1761 he gained the Society of Arts' pre- mium for a profile of the King, to be used for a die. In 1762 he was naturalised, and was in 1764 appointed miniature painter to the Queen and enameller to the King. In 1769 he was one of the foundation mem- bers of the Royal Academy, and was a con- stant exhibitor, his works including several portraits of the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales and Duke of York. He last ex- hibited in 1783. He painted in oil and water-colours, and also in enamel, but his miniatures on ivory were unrivalled in his day. By his study of Reynolds he attained great power and elegance, and his works please by their life-like truth and expres- sion, added to a quiet refinement of colour. He married Barbara Marsden, a young lady of great art talent, who gained several premiums from the Society of Arts. He lived many years on the south side of Covent Garden. At the latter part of his life he retired to Kew, where he died (January 20, 1789, in his 54th year) and was buried. Hayley complimented his art—

'Though small its field, thy pencil may

presume To ask a wreath where flowers eternal bloom.'

MEYER, H., landscape painter. Was a native of Holland, and obliged to leave his country, being involved in the revolution of 1788. He came to London, and gained a reputation as a landscape painter in water- colours, exhibiting at the Academy, chiefly Dutch scenes, 1 790-9 1 and 1 792. His works are usually of a small size, painted in the mann er of Ostade,' and highly finished. He introduced figures into his landscapes, which were drawn with great care and neatness. Some of his works are in tempera. He died in Berners Street, February 1793.

MEYER, Henry, engraver. Was born in London about 1783, and was the nephew of Hoppner, R.A. He was the pupil of Bartolozzi, and following his style, his chief works are in the dot manner, but he also worked in mezzo-tint. He was principally engaged upon portraits, and engraved many. They are worked m the dot man-

t