A German Master in the English Court: The Life and Legacy of Sir Godfrey Kneller Born Gottfried Kniller in Lübeck, Germany, in 1646, Sir Godfrey Kneller’s journey to becoming the preeminent portraitist of England was one shaped by extensive travel, rigorous training, and an astute understanding of both artistic technique and social currents. His early life offered a foundation steeped in art; his father, Zacharias Kniller, was a portrait painter himself, though accounts vary on the extent of his skill. Young Gottfried initially studied in Leiden before immersing himself in the Dutch Baroque…