JOSEPH, Esq. an eminent painter, was born in the parish of St James's, Garlickhithe, London, June 13. 1692, being the third son of Mr Edward Highmore, a coal-merchant in Thames-street. Having such an early and strong inclination to painting, that he could think of nothing else with pleasure, his father endeavoured to gratify him in a proposal to his uncle, who was serjeant-painter to King William, and with whom Mr (afterwards Sir James) Thornhill had served his apprenticeship. But this was afterwards for good reasons declined, and he was articled as clerk to an attorney, July 18th 1707; but so much against his own declared inclination, that in about three years he began to form resolutions of indulging his natural disposition to his favourite art, having continually employed his leisure hours in designing, and in the study of geometry, perspective, architecture, and anatomy, but without any instructors except books. He had afterwards an opportunity of improving himself in anatomy, by attending the lectures of Mr Chefdlen, besides entering himself at the painters academy in Great Queen-street, where he drew 10 years, and had the honour to be particularly noticed by Sir Godfrey Kneller, who distinguished him by the name of "the Young Lawyer." On June 13th 1714, his clerkship expired; and on March 26th 1715, he began painting as a profession, and settled in the city. In the same year Dr Brook Taylor published his "Linear Perspective: or, a new method of representing justly all manner of objects as they appear to the eye in all situations." On this complete and universal theory our artist grounded his subsequent practice; and it has been generally allowed, that few, if any, of the profession at that time were so thorough masters of that excellent but intricate system. In 1716, he married Miss Susanna Hiller, daughter and heiress of Mr Anthony Hiller of Effingham in Surrey; a young lady in every respect worthy of his choice. For Mr Chefdlen's "Anatomy of the Human Body," published in 1722, he made drawings from the real subjects at the time of dissection, two of which were engraved for that work, and appear, but without his name, in tables xii. and xiii.. In the same year, on the exhibition of "The Confessors Lovers," written by Sir Richard Steele, Mr Highmore addressed a letter to the author on the limits of filial obedience, pointing out a material defect in the character of Bevil, with that clearness and precision for which, in conversation and writing, he was always remarkable, as the pencil by no means. Highmore means engrossed his whole attention. His reputation and business increasing, he took a more conspicuous station, by removing to a house in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, in March 1723-4; and an opportunity soon offered of introducing him advantageously to the nobility, &c. by his being desired, by Mr Pine the engraver, to make the drawings for his prints of the knights of the Bath, on the revival of that order in 1725. In consequence, several of the knights had their portraits also by the same hand, some of them whole lengths; and the duke of Richmond, in particular, was attended by his three esquires, with a perspective view of King Henry VIIth's chapel. This capital picture is now at Godwood. And our artist was sent for to St James's by George I. to draw the late duke of Cumberland, from which Smith scraped a mezzotinto.

In 1728, Mr Hawkins Browne, then of Lincoln's-Inn, who had ever a just sense of his talents and abilities, addressed to him a poetical epistle "On Design and Beauty;" and, some years after, an elegant Latin Ode, both now collected in his poems. In the summer of 1732, Mr Highmore visited the continent, in company with Dr Pemberton, Mr Benjamin Robins, and two other friends, chiefly with a view of seeing the gallery of pictures belonging to the elector Palatine at Duffeldorp, collected by Rubens, and supposed the best in Europe. At Antwerp also he had peculiar pleasure in contemplating the works of his favourite master. In their return they visited the principal towns in Holland. In 1734, he made a like excursion, but alone, to Paris, where he received great civilities from his countrymen there, particularly the duke of Kingston, Dr Hickman (his tutor), Robert Knight, Esq. (the late cahier), &c. Here he had the satisfaction of being shown, by Cardinal de Polignac, his famous group of antique statues, the court of Lycomedes, then just brought from Rome, and since purchased by the king of Prussia, and destroyed at Charlottenbourg in 1760 by the Russians. In 1742, he had the honour to paint the late prince and princess of Wales for the duke of Saxe Gotha; as he did some years after the late queen of Denmark for that court. The publication of "Pamela;" in 1744, gave rise to a set of paintings by Mr Highmore, which were engraved by two French engravers, and published by subscription in 1745. In the same year he painted the only original of the late General Wolfe, then about 18. His Pamela introduced him to the acquaintance and friendship of the excellent author whose picture he drew, and for whom he painted the only original of Dr Young. In 1750 he had the misfortune to lose his wife. On the first institution of the academy of painting, sculpture, &c. in 1753, he was elected one of the professors; an honour which, on account of his many avocations, he desired to decline. In 1754 he published "A critical examination of those two Paintings [by Rubens] on the Ceiling of the Banqueting-house at Whitehall, in which Architecture is introduced, so far as relates to Perspective;" together with the Difficult of a Question which has been the Subject of Debate among Painters;" printed in 4to. In the solution of this question, he proved that Rubens and several other great painters were mistaken in the practice, and Mr Kirby and several other authors in the theory. And in the 17th volume of the "Monthly Review," he animadverted (anonymously) on Mr Kirby's unwarrantable treatment of Mr Ware, and detected and exposed his errors, even when he exults in his own superior science. Of the many portraits which Mr Highmore painted, in a large practice of 46 years (of which several have been engraved), it is impossible and useless to discuss particulars. Some of the most capital in the historical branch, which was then much less cultivated than it is at present, shall only be mentioned, viz. "Hagar and Ishmael," a present to the Foundling-hospital: "The good Samaritan," painted for Mr Shepherd of Campley Ash: "The finding of Moses," purchased at his sale by Colonel (now General) Lifter: "The Harlowe family, as described in Clarissa," now in the possession of Thomas Watkinson Payler, Esq. at Heden in Kent: "Clarissa," the portrait mentioned in that work: "The Graces unveiling Nature," drawn by memory from Rubens: "The Clementina of Grandison, and the queen mother of Edward IV. with her younger son, &c. in Westminster-abbey;" the three last in the possession of his son.

In 1761, on the marriage of his daughter to the reverend Mr Duncombe, son to one of his oldest friends, he took a resolution of retiring from business, and disposing of his collection of pictures, which he did by auction, in March 1762, and soon after removed to his son-in-law's at Canterbury, where he passed the remainder of his life without ever revisiting the metropolis. But though he had laid down the pencil, he never wanted employment: so active and vigorous was his mind, that, with a constitutional flow of spirits, and a relish for instructive society, he was never less "alone than when alone;" and, besides his professional pursuits above mentioned, to philosophy, both natural and moral, and also to divinity, he laudably dedicated his time and attention. No man had more clearness and precision of ideas, or a more ardent desire to know the truth; and, when known, conscientiously to pursue it. With strong passions, ever guided by the strictest virtue, he had a tender, susceptible heart, always open to the distress of his fellow-creatures, and always ready to relieve them. His capital work of the literary kind was his "Practice of Perspective, on the principles of Dr Brook Taylor," &c. written many years before, but not published till 1763, when it was printed for Nourse, in one vol. 4to. This not only evinced his scientific knowledge of the subject, but removed, by its perspicuity, the only objection that can be made to the system of Dr Taylor. It accordingly received, from his friends and the intelligent public, the applause it deserved. In 1765 he published (without his name) Observations on a Pamphlet entitled, "Christianity not founded on Argument;" in which, after showing that it is a continued irony, and lamenting that so ample a field should be offered the author of it for the display of his sophistry; he gives up creeds, articles, and catechisms, as out-works raised by fallible men, and, confining himself to the defence of the gospel, or citadel, shows, that pure primitive Christianity, though assaulted by infidels, will ever remain impregnable. His opinion of Rubens may be Highmore, seen in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1766, p. 352; Highnets, under the title of "Remarks on some passages in Mr Webb's inquiry into the Beauties of Painting, &c." In the same year he published, with only his initials, "J. H." two small volumes of "Essays, moral, religious, and miscellaneous; with a Translation in prose of Mr Browne's Latin Poem on the Immortality of the Soul;" selected from a large number written at his leisure, at different periods of life. "As such (says Dr Hawkefworth) they do the author great credit. They are not excursions of fancy, but efforts of thought, and indubitable indications of a vigorous and active mind." In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1769, p. 287, he communicated "A natural and obvious Manner of constructing Sun-dials, deduced from the Situation and Motion of the Earth with respect to the Sun," explained by a scheme. And in that for 1778, p. 526, his remarks on colouring, suggested by way of a note on the "Epistle to an eminent Painter," will show that his talents were by no means impaired at the age of 86. Indeed he retained them to the last, and had even strength and spirits sufficient to enable him to ride out daily on horseback the summer before he died. A strong constitution, habitual temperance, and constant attention to his health in youth as well as in age, prolonged his life, and preserved his faculties to his 88th year, when he gradually ceased to breathe, and, as it were, fell asleep on March 3, 1780. He was interred in the south aisle of Canterbury cathedral, leaving one son, Anthony, educated in his own profession; and a daughter, Sufanna, mentioned above.

His abilities as a painter appear in his works, which will not only be admired by his contemporaries, but by their posterity; as his tints, like those of Rubens and Vandyck, instead of being impaired, are improved by time, which some of them have now withstood above 60 years. His idea of beauty, when he indulged his fancy, was of the highest kind; and his knowledge of perspective gave him great advantages in family-pieces, of which he painted more than any one of his time. He could take a likeness by memory as well as by a fitting, as appears by his picture of the duke of Lorraine (the late emperor), which Faber engraved; and those of King George II. (in York-assembly-room), Queen Caroline, the two Miss Gunning, &c. Like many other great painters, he had "a poet for his friend," in the late Mr Browne; to which may be added a poem addressed to him in 1726, by the reverend Mr Bunce, at that time of Trinity-hall, Cambridge, who succeeded Mr Highmore, and in 1780 was vicar of St Stephen's near Canterbury.