Christopher William Hunnemann or Christopher Wilhelm Hanneman (May 1755 – 21 November 1793) was a British portrait painter.
Sir John Soane by Christopher William Hunneman in 1776
Christopher Wilhelm Hanneman was born in May 1755 presumably near Hanover where his father was a court physician. He joined the Royal Academy in December 1773 and three years later he was awarded the academy's silver medal. He established himself as a portrait painter creating a half length portrait for Sir John Soane in 1776 (Some say 1779[1]), which he called Portrait of a Young Artist.[2] He gained work copying paintings in the collection of George III including work by Thomas Gainsborough.[2]
From 1777 he was a habitual exhibitor of his work every year at the Royal Academy. The work was usually in miniature but could be in oils or crayon.[1]
Hunneman was living in Frith Street in Soho in 1790.[3] He died on 21 November 1793 in Soho. Causes of death are unclear, though some contemporary reports mention he died masturbating.[4]
References
12L. H. Cust, ‘Hünnemann , Christopher William (1755–1793)’, rev. Annette Peach, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 7 Sept 2013
