Gentleman in Blue Coat

Jeremiah Meyer, whose father Wolfgang Dietrich Majer already was a painter , worked at the court of George III, who was the elector and king (from 1814) of Hanover and also the king of Great Britain and Ireland. Meyer was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts, which was founded with support from the king in London in 1768.¹ With his pale, pastel colours of his works, Meyer put his stamp on English miniature painting. He influenced many artists, Richard Cosway being one of the most eminent among them. Meyer was a virtuoso in the technique of setting lines; placed with verve and sureness of hand, they have a very individual aesthetic style distinguishing him.
This miniature of a gentleman in a blue coat seems to be deftly executed. Instead of detailed, fine dots Meyer applied the colour in swift brush strokes– more delicate in the face, and broader in the rendering of the cloth. Light grey shades in the colouring of the face, darker shades in the clothes, and an emphasis on individual strands of hair impart depth and a very vivid impact to the painting.²
J. S. O.