MEYER, Johann Heinrich, a German artist, was born in 1759 at Stäfa, on the Lake of Zürich, in Switzerland. He studied at Zürich under Fussly for some time; and in 1784 went to Italy. At Rome he met Goethe, with whom he formed a friendship so close, that the artist generally went by the name of "Goethe-Meyer." He also visited Naples, Venice, and other places, and returned to Switzerland in 1787. In 1792 he went to Goethe at Weimar, where he was made professor in the School of Design; and in 1795 he visited Italy again, and lived in Naples and Florence till 1797, when he returned through Switzerland to Weimar. Here he lived for many years in close and familiar intercourse with Goethe, whom he assisted in many of his works on art. Meyer was appointed in 1807 director of the academy of Weimar; and died at Jena in 1832. His paintings are few. The most important are an allegorical frieze in the palace of Weimar, and some drawings and water-colour sketches of ancient remains and the works of the old masters. He is chiefly famous as a writer on art, and his principal work is entitled Geschichte der Bildenden Künste bei den Griechen, Dresden, 2 vols., 1824. A third and a posthumous volume, in continuation of the history of art, especially in Rome, was edited by Reimer, and published at Dresden in 1836. He also edited the works of Winckelmann in 8 volumes.