Sir James Thornhill

1 portrait

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Sir James Thornhill

attributed to Dietrich Ernst Andreae
oil on canvas, circa 1724-1726
18 in. x 16 in. (457 mm x 406 mm) oval
Given by Douglas H. Gordon, 1969
Primary Collection
NPG 4688

On display in Room 9 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery

Sitterback to top

  • Sir James Thornhill (1675 or 1676-1734), Father-in-law of William Hogarth, decorative painter and politician; MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. Sitter associated with 14 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 23 portraits.

Artistback to top

This portraitback to top

Formerly thought to be a self-portrait, it is now attributed to Thornhill's assistant, Dietrich Ernst Andreae, as a preparatory portrait for his figure in the Painted Hall at Greenwich.


More detailed information on this portrait is available in a National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, John Kerslake's Early Georgian Portraits (1977, out of print).

Linked publicationsback to top

Events of 1724back to top

Current affairs

Notorious thief and jailbreaker John 'Jack' Sheppard is hanged at Tyburn.
General George Wade is sent to inspect Scotland, initiating an 11-year program of road improvement and bridge building in the Scottish Highlands.

Art and science

First of Jonathan Swift's Drapier's Letters is published; one of seven pamphlets railing against the debasement of Irish coinage.
Blenheim Palace is presented as a gift to the Duke of Marlborough for his involvement in the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.



International

Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Pope Benedict XIII succeeds Pope Innocent XIII as the 245th pope.
King Philip V of Spain abdicates the throne.

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