Philippe Mercier grew up in Berlin as a child of French immigrants. He studied at the Berlin Art Academy under the German court painter Antoine Pesne and probably worked as his assistant. Later he studied in Paris, where his style was influenced by Jean Baptiste Chardin and Jean-Antoine Watteau. In the 18th century Mercier finally moved to England, where he married twice. His second wife, Dorothy Clapham, was also a painter and ran an art supplies business. There is evidence that she supported Philippe Mercier in his work. During his time in London, Mercier was still in contact with Jean-Antoine Watteau. He reproduced some of Watteau's works as etchings, which he then printed. At that time he also traded in art and art prints, the reproductions were for sale. Mercier also reproduced his own works, and art historians found evidence that he sometimes issued them as paintings by Watteau.
In London, Mercier was employed as court painter at the British Royal Court for several years. During this period he painted several portraits of English nobles. However, Philippe Mercier was not the only court painter. He had to compete with Christian Zincke and Herman van der Myn and this period was marked by jealousy and strife. After he was dismissed as court painter, Mercier turned his back on London and moved to the small town of York. There he found members of the upper class who supported his art. Here he painted many portraits, but also the first of the so-called Fancy Pictures. Fancy Pictures are pictures of everyday scenes that are supplemented by invented elements, so that they appeal to the emotions and often trigger sentimental feelings. Mercier finally returned to London a few years before his death.
Besides portraits, Philippe Mercier often painted conversation pieces. These are paintings that depict people in company, at activities and celebrations. He introduced the genre of the conversation piece to England, where it was not yet widespread. It is also interesting to note that Mercier depicted the five senses of man - sense of smell, sense of taste, sight, touch and hearing. For example, in the picture "the sense of touch" you can see people stroking a cat. Several of Mercier's paintings were reproduced as engravings and thus gained further recognition and popularity. In his late period, Mercier devoted himself mainly to Fancy Pictures, many of which he created as a variation on the conversation piece. Many of Philippe Mercier's paintings do not simply depict people in a landscape or an apartment, they tell stories.
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.jpg "Woman with a Glass of Wine by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1369279).jpg "Woman with Gloves by a Window (Evening) by Richard Houston")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1370901).jpg "Young Woman at Her Dressing Table by Richard Houston")
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_a_cellist_in_Handels_orchestra_engraved_by_J_-_(MeisterDrucke-254690).jpg "Portrait of John Hebden, a Cellist in Handel")
_a_cellist_in_Handels_orchestra_engraved_by_J_-_(MeisterDrucke-254690).jpg)
_Un_cupidon_laccompagne_avec_un_arc_et_u_-_(MeisterDrucke-1644098).jpg "The Goddess of Love (Aphrodite or Venus) with Cupid (Private Collection) by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "A Young Boy on a Hobbyhorse, with other Children Playing in a Garden by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1584565).jpg "Piper, ca. 1740 by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Family Promenade, also called Philippe Mercier, His First Wife, and Family by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Touch by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Archbold Children: A Group Portrait of a Little Boy, Full Length Wearing a Beige Coat, Dark Blue Gold-Embroidered Waistcoat, and Tricorn Hat and Playing a Violin, and His Sister, Full Length, Wearing a Red Dress, with Flowers in Her Hair by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1645690).jpg "Conversation Piece, or Lovers in a Park by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "An Unknown Man by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Sir Edward Hales, Baronet, of Hales Place, Hackington, Kent by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Guitar Player by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "A Young Woman Holding a Tea Tray Possibly Hannah, the Artist")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-898990).jpg "The Sense of Hearing by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1645708).jpg "Two pairs of lovers, one pair making music, in a parkland setting by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Philip Mercier, from")
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_(see_also_129302_129303)_-_(MeisterDrucke-898692).jpg "The Sense of Smell, c.1744-47 by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of German Composer Georg Friedrich Handel by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Hearing by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1629388).jpg "Miss Adams, c.1741 by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Young woman in a fawn dress by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1657424).jpg "The Young Wine-Taster by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Viscount Tyrconnel with his Family by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Hearing by Philippe Mercier")
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 Italian operatic soprano of the - (MeisterDrucke-676861).jpg "Francesca Cuzzoni (1696–1778), Italian operatic soprano of the Baroque era by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1128821).jpg "A Portrait of a Young Boy by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Louis de Jean by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Frederick, Prince of Wales and his Sisters by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Pamela by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "A Music Party by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Burckhardt Tschudi with his wife and two children by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1106608).jpg "Portrait of Mrs Thomas Fane with her children John and Anne by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Head of a Woman, Study for The Bible Lesson by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Sight, c.1744-47 by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1583186).jpg "Piper, circa 1740 by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1122804).jpg "Portrait of Cosmo George, 3rd Duke of Gordon by Philippe Mercier")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1122804).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-902148).jpg "Portrait of Henry 7th Viscount Irwin and his Wife Anne by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Mrs Shakespeare, 1739 by Philippe Mercier")
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_(see_also_129301_129302)_-_(MeisterDrucke-896465).jpg "The Sense of Touch by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Sir Edward Hales, Baronet, of Hales Place, Hackington, Kent by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Sir Edward Hales by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Proposal by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Conjuror by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Family in an Interior with Squirrels, possibly the Burton Family from Eltham, Kent, 1755-60 by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-101672).jpg "The Sense of Taste by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Smell by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Boy Drawing at a Table by Philippe Mercier")
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_(ecangl)_18th_cent_-_(MeisterDrucke-1021930).jpg "Le Jeune Degustateur by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Sight by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Ralph Crathorne by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Hannah, the Artist")
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.jpg "A young girl reading by candlelight by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Smell by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Fortune Teller by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "An Unknown Man by Philippe Mercier")
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_German-English_musician_painting_by_Philippe_-_(MeisterDrucke-922970).jpg "George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) by Philippe Mercier")
_German-English_musician_painting_by_Philippe_-_(MeisterDrucke-922970).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1128826).jpg "The Visit of the Minstrel by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Prince Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, playing the cello at Kew Palace, c1733-1750 by Philippe Mercier")
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_Queen_of_France_-_(MeisterDrucke-389699).jpg "Marie-Antoinette (1755-93): Queen of France by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Playing Soldier by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "A Jester by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "A Musical Family by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Morning by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Good Day by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Group Portrait of the Children of King George II of England by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Dance by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Lord Trimelston by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Touch by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Pierrot Catching a Fly by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "The Sense of Taste by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Group portrait of the children of King George II of England by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Self Portrait by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "School for Boys by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of Lady Jenkinson by Philippe Mercier")
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.jpg "Portrait of George Friedrich Handel by Philippe Mercier")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1457575).jpg "The Letter Writer by Philippe Mercier")
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