Highmore attended Sir Godfrey Kneller (Kneller, Sir Godfrey, Baronet)'s academy in London from 1713. In Highmore's early work he adapted Kneller's style of portraiture to a more realistic if less masterful rendering. Highmore's style was affected by French Rococo artists, such as Philippe Mercier and Hubert Gravelot, who were established in London during the 1730s and 1740s. But their influence is traceable less in Highmore's portraits than in his genre illustrations. In 1744 he painted a series of 12 illustrations for Samuel Richardson (Richardson, Samuel)'s novel Pamela, which suggest comparison with William Hogarth (Hogarth, William)'s Marriage à la Mode. Highmore's work is less boisterous and satirical and more refined than Hogarth's, however.