Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Richter, Christian
RICHTER, CHRISTIAN (1682?–1732), miniature-painter, born about 1682, was son of a silversmith at Stockholm. A brother, Benjamin Richter, who became a pupil of Karlsteen, the medallist at Dresden, and court medallist at Vienna, visited England for a short time, when he executed a set of medals of the members of the Swedish Club; some specimens of these are in the British Museum. Christian is said to have also been a pupil of Karlsteen at Dresden, and to have practised medal engraving and modelling in wax; but, not meeting with the support which he expected, he took to portrait-painting, especially in miniature and enamel. About 1702 he came to England, where he was patronised by his fellow countryman, Michael Dahl [q. v.], whose manner he imitated. He became an excellent copyist of Dahl's works, and also those of Vandyck, Lely, and Kneller. He had some skill as an original miniature-painter, but was hampered in his art by ill-health. He died in November 1732, aged 50, and was buried in the churchyard of St. James's, Westminster. A miniature by Richter of Viscountess Tyrconnel, painted in 1709, is at Wroxton Abbey.
[Walpole's Anecd. of Painting (ed. Wornum); Vertue's Diaries; Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 23072, &c.; Franks and Grueber's Medallic Hist. of Great Britain.]