Thomas Bardwell (1704-1767)

Artist associated with 4 portraits
Thomas Bardwell was a painter and writer. He began his career as a painter of decorative panels. In around 1738 his brother Robert Bardwell took over the family decorative painting business, which was based at Bungay, Suffolk; by then Bardwell was producing conversation pieces and portraits. In the 1740s and 1750s Bardwell visited London and painted several portraits there. In 1752 and 1753 he journeyed through Yorkshire to Scotland, carrying out a large number of commissions. From 1759 Bardwell was based in Norwich, where he established a thriving practice.