1741 made the medal ‘Tribute to George II’ (Hawkins, op. cit. ii. 566, signed l. natter, and l. n.) He was much patronised by Sir Edward Walpole (H. Walpole, Letters, ed. Cunningham, ix. 154) and by Thomas Hollis. He engraved two or three seals with the head of Sir Robert Walpole, and produced a medal (Hawkins, op. cit. ii. 562, 567) of him with a bust from Rysbrach's model, and having on the reverse a statue of Cicero with the legend, ‘Regit dictis animos.’ This medal was engraved in ‘The Medalist’ (Hawkins, u.s.), with the legend altered to ‘Regit nummis animos.’ Natter, when at Count Moltke's table in Denmark, mentioned this alteration, and some one suggested ‘Regit nummis animos et nummis regitur ipse,’ a motto which was afterwards engraved on the edge of some specimens of the medals, one of which is in the British Museum. For Hollis (who speaks of this artist as ‘a worthy man’) Natter engraved, for ten guineas, a seal with the head of Britannia, and also a cameo of ‘Britannia Victrix,’ with a head of Algernon Sydney on the reverse. He also engraved a portrait of Hollis in intaglio, and a head of Socrates in green jasper, which latter Hollis presented to Archbishop Secker in 1757 (Nichols, Lit. Illustr. iii. 479–480). A portrait of Natter drawn by himself, ‘exceeding like,’ is mentioned in Hollis's ‘Memoirs,’ p. 183. Natter also worked for the Dukes of Devonshire and Marlborough, and drew up for the latter a catalogue of the Bessborough gems, which were incorporated with the Marlborough cabinet. This was published in 1761 as ‘Catalogue des pierres gravées tant en relief qu'en creux de Mylord Comte de Bessborough,’ London, 4to, with plates. On the title-page Natter is described as fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He projected, but did not carry out, a work on glyptography, called ‘Museum Britannicum.’ According to Ruding (Annals of the Coinage, i. 45), Natter was employed as engraver or assistant-engraver at the English mint at the beginning of the reign of George III, but he cannot be right in stating that he was so employed in the fourth year of this reign, i.e. 25 Oct. 1763–24 Oct. 1764. In the summer of 1762 Natter went in the exercise of his profession to St. Petersburg, and died there of asthma late in the autumn of 1763 (according to Walpole, Anecdotes, on 27 Dec.; according to Allgemeine deutsche Biog. on 27 Oct.).
Numerous gems engraved by Natter are described by Raspe in his ‘Catalogue of the Tassie Collection.’ Among these may be mentioned No. 1706, pl. xxv., ‘Birth of Athena;’ No. 9116, pl. li., ‘Bust of Paris in Phrygian Cap,’ apparently copied from a fine silver coin of Carthage (B. V. Head, Guide to Coins of Ancients, iii. C. 41); No. 11043, ‘Head of Augustus;’ No. 15787, onyx cameo with portrait of the Marchioness of Rockingham; Nos. 15785–6, cameos of the Marquis of Rockingham. Among Natter's best imitations of the antique was his copy of the Medusa, with the name Sosikles, at that time in the cabinet of Hemsterhuys, a correspondent of Natter's on glyptography (King, Antique Gems, &c., p. xxviii). He also copied the ‘Julia Titi of Evodus.’ A description of his works preserved in the Imperial Cabinet at St. Petersburg is given in J. Bernouilli's ‘Travels,’ iv. 248. Natter's talents as a gem-engraver were warmly eulogised by Goethe (Winckelmann und sein Jahrhundert, ii. 100). H. K. Köhler (Gesammelte Schrifte, 1851, p. 119) remarks on his freedom from mannerism. Charles William King (Antique Gems, &c., i. 467), while calling him ‘one of the greatest of the modern practitioners of the art,’ considers that his works ‘differ materially from the antique, particularly in the treatment of the hair’ (ib. p. 436).
As a medallist Natter was decidedly skilful, though he produced comparatively few works. Natter published in 1754 ‘A Treatise on the Ancient Method of Engraving on Precious Stones compared with the Modern,’ London, fol. This was also published in French in the same year (‘Traité de la méthode antique de graver en pierres fines,’ &c., folio). In this interesting treatise Natter gives from his own experience practical instructions in gem-engraving. He strongly advises beginners to copy from the antique. Godefrid Kraft of Danzig is mentioned by him as a pupil of his in the glyptic art.
Nagler and Bolzenthal (Skizzen, p. 251), followed in Hawkins's ‘Medallic Illustrations,’ give Natter's name as ‘Johann Lorenz.’ There seems no authority for the ‘Johann;’ Natter on his gems and medals and on the title-pages of his publications uses only the christian name ‘Lorenz’ (Laurent, Laurentius, &c.).
[Natter's writings; P. Beck's art. ‘Natter’ in Allgemeine deutsche Biographie; Hollis's Memoirs, pp. 81, 182–4; Hawkins's Medallic Illustrations, ed. Franks and Grueber; King's Antique Gems and Rings, and his Handbook of Engraved Gems; Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting, ed. Wornum, iii. 763, 764.]
NATTES, JOHN CLAUDE (1765?–1822), topographical draughtsman and water-colour painter, is stated to have been born in 1765, and to have been a pupil of Hugh
