Beschreibung:

Circle of Jonathan Richardson Sr. (London 1665-1745 Bloomsbury) A family portrait; traditionally identified as The Thornhill family Oil on canvas 128 x 166 cm (50 1/4 x 65 1/4 in) Provenance: W. Willcocks; Dr Geoffrey Hattersley-Smith; Thence by descent. Exhibited: The Whitechapel Art Gallery, 1906, No. 287 as Thornhill Family Portrait, by Hogarth (lent by W. Willcocks) This portrait is thought to be of Sir James Thornhill his wife and son, though in the past 20 years mixed opinions to the sitters' identity have been made. In 1906 the portrait was exhibited at The Whitechapel Art Gallery as being a portrait of Sir James Thornhill and his family, by Thornhill's son-in law William Hogarth (1697-1764). A photograph of the present painting is also in the archives at The National Portrait Gallery, London and annotated as being by Michael Dahl (1659-1743). When compared to works depicting Sir James Thornhill by various artists including Hudson, Highmore and Richardson, certain facial likenesses can be seen, although the present painting would depict Thornhill as slightly younger than these works. Sir James Thornhill (1675-1734) was apprentice to Thomas Highmore (1660-1720), also learning much from the work of Antonio Verrio (d.1707) and Louis Laguerre (d.1721) who were all decorative painters working in London. Thornhill decorated palace interiors with large-scale compositions, including The ceiling of the Great Hall at Greenwich Hospital, thought to be his masterpiece. In 1718 George I made Thornhill court painter, and in 1720 Serjeant painter shortly before knighting him. Condition report disclaimer