James Thornhill ( 1675 - 1734 )

Birth: Melcombe Regis, Dorset, England (1675) Death: Thornhill, Dorset (13 May 1734) Profession: Painter Education: Apprenticed by his great-uncle, Thomas Sydenham, to Thomas Highmore, Serjeant-Painter to the King Career: Travelled in Europe, where he was influenced by the works of Poussin and Carracci among others and began to make a collection of their works; employed by Queen Anne in the decoration of Hampton Court, Greenwich and Windsor Castle and also painted many of the great houses of the aristocracy; (against the wishes of Sir Christopher Wren (FRS 1663) painted scenes from the life of St Paul on the inside of the dome of St Paul's Cathedral; painted portraits of Sir Isaac Newton (FRS 1672) and other notable men; endeavoured to form an academy of painters, though without lasting success; Serjeant-Painter to the King (1720-1732); King's History Painter (1720-death); MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1722-1724); purchased and rebuilt his ancient family seat at Thornhill Honours: Kt 1720 Membership: Fellow Election Date: 2/05/1723 Proposers: William Jones; Brook Taylor.