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Name
Mercier, Philip
Birth date
1689?
Death date
1760
Biography
Mercier, from a family of Huguenot refugee origin, was born in Berlin and studied at the Academy there. He arrived in England in 1716 and married three years later. He became Principal Portrait Painter and Library Keeper to Frederick, Prince of Wales, situations that didn’t last, for unstated private reasons. From 1739 until 1751 he lived in York and made brief visits to Ireland in 1747 and Scotland in 1750. He was in Portugal for a year in 1752. Waterhouse points out that, at an early stage in his career, Mercier must have become familiar with the work of Watteau. With Gravelot, he helped to introduce the French style of painting into England, particularly with his popular fancy pictures.