File:Figure studies for the west wall (second project) RMG L9640-002.jpg

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Author
James Thornhill  (–1734)  wikidata:Q1681192
 
James Thornhill
Description British painter, politician and court painter
Date of birth/death 25 July 1675 / 25 July 1676 Edit this at Wikidata 4 May 1734 / 13 May 1734 Edit this at Wikidata
Location of birth/death Melcombe Regis Edit this at Wikidata Thornhill Park near Stalbridge, Category:Dorset
Work location
London, Greenwich, various English country estates
Authority file
creator QS:P170,Q1681192
Description
English: Figure studies for the west wall (second project)

This is one of the most fluid and conceptual surviving sketches for the Painted Hall and shows Thornhill resolving the arrangement of both royal and allegorical figures on the west wall in a receding serpentine. The king is seated holding out his right arm, lower right, with his eldest grandson, Prince Frederick (then heir presumptive), standing beside him. The grouping, especially of the royal family around the king, was much further but the pyramid symbolizing dynastic stability, and Astrea, symbol of justice (holding a sword and part of a balance) are now in their final places.

Thornhill has taken liberties with the depiction of Prince Frederick (born 1707). The son of the Prince of Wales was, according to the artist's marginal notes, aged 16 at the time of the drawings execution, but he is shown here as a small boy at his grandfathers knee. The family grouping surrounding George I has two prototypes: the west wall of St George's Hall by godfrey Kneller and the north wall of the painted stair at Hampton Court by Antonio Verrio. Despite the care Thornhill evidently took in inventing and resolving the west wall's composition, he had only partial involvement in its execution. According to Thornhill's son-in-law William Hogarth, the royal group was painted by the artist Dietrich Andreae whom he described as 'a Polander'. The skecth's verso inscription offers a charming insight into the more practical aspects of the commission.

It bears inscriptions in ink by Thornhill and two others in pencil. Down the right-hand side he has listed figures for inclusion in the composition, and some of their ages: '[Princess] Sophia / Q[ueen of] Prussia/ Pr[ince] Frederick -aet [i.e. aged]-16 / Pr[incess] Anne - aet - 13 /Pr[incess]Amelia -aet-11/Pr[incess] Ele[anora]: Carolina - 9 /Pr[ince] William Augustus - 2'

Then in more summary fashion are his abbreviations 'JTh.' (which a later hand has identified to the left in pencil as 'Sir Jas Thornhill'), and others, so-far inexplicable: 'Mah., Mast., v/r, E. Smy.'. The last may in some cases refer to allegorical figures. Half-way down the left hand edge of the drawing is a partly cut-off pencil inscription possibly in Thornhill's hand, reading '... upper Hall'.

On the reverse, in Thornhill's hand and beside more figure sketches in both graphite and ink, are jotted names (in graphite) and, in ink, what appears to be a list of pigments (including ' vermilion') and their prices.

Watermark: Pro Patria Collector's mark: RMW (Sir Robert Witt)

Drawing for the west wall, Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College Greenwich, verso
Date 1723
date QS:P571,+1723-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Dimensions Mount: 25 in x 19 in;Sheet: 296 mm x 190 mm
Notes Box Title: Greenwich Box 4 James Thornhill (1).
Source/Photographer http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/143291
Permission
(Reusing this file)

The original artefact or artwork has been assessed as public domain by age, and faithful reproductions of the two dimensional work are also public domain. No permission is required for reuse for any purpose.

The text of this image record has been derived from the Royal Museums Greenwich catalogue and image metadata. Individual data and facts such as date, author and title are not copyrightable, but reuse of longer descriptive text from the catalogue may not be considered fair use. Reuse of the text must be attributed to the "National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London" and a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA-3.0 license may apply if not rewritten. Refer to Royal Museums Greenwich copyright.
Other versions
Identifier
InfoField
Caird Catalogue Number (CCAT): CC V1(S), P38, 388
Les Marques de collections de dessins et d'estampes, 1921-56: Lugt 2228b
Unidentified Prints & Drawings Number: 6
id number: PAH3344
Collection
InfoField
Fine art

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current06:14, 29 September 2017Thumbnail for version as of 06:14, 29 September 2017816 × 1,280 (970 KB) (talk | contribs)Royal Museums Greenwich Fine art (1723), http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/143291 #6513-1

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