A Master of the Regency Miniature
George Engleheart was an English painter of portrait miniatures who worked primarily in London throughout his career. Born in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, he was the son of Francis Englehart, a German plaster modeller, and Anne Dawney. After his father's death, the family name was changed to Engleheart. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1769, studying under George Barrett and Sir Joshua Reynolds. By 1773, he began working as an independent artist, and he regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy until 1822.
His prolific output is documented in a detailed fee book kept from 1775 to 1813, which recorded 4,853 miniatures. His technique involved painting watercolour on ivory, and his work is categorized into three distinct periods. His early works were small, often measuring between 1½ to 2 inches in height. As his style developed, he frequently painted on ivories approximately 2½ inches in height, and in his final phase, he produced larger miniatures measuring around 3 to 3½ inches.
Personal Life and Legacy
Engleheart's personal life included two marriages. He first married Elizabeth Brown in 1776; they lived in Prince's Street, Hanover Square, before her death in 1779. He later married Ursula Sarah Browne in 1785, with whom he had four children: George, Nathaniel, Harry, and Emma. In 1813, he retired to his country house in Bedfont, Middlesex, a neo-classical villa. Following the death of his second wife in 1817, he moved to Blackheath to live with his son, Nathaniel. He died in Blackheath and was buried at St. Anne's Church, Kew.
His artistic legacy extended through his family, as his nephew, John Cox Dillman Engleheart, also became an accomplished portrait miniaturist. His professional circle included notable figures such as:
