| Authorised form of name | Thornhill; Sir; James (1675 - 1734) |
| Dates | 1675 - 1734 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Melcombe Regis, Dorset, England |
| Date of birth | 1675 |
| Place of death | Thornhill, Dorset |
| Date of death | 13 May 1734 |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Activity | 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 category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 02/05/1723 |
| Proposer | William Jones |
| Brook Taylor |
| Relationships | Son of Walter Thornhill of Wareham, Dorset, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Colonel William Sydenham, Governor of Weymouth Castle; married Judith; his daughter married the painter William Hogarth |
| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; Sedgwick
References:
Obituaries in 'Gentleman's Magazine' 1734, p274; 'London Magazine' 1734, p266; 'Historical Register Chronological Diary' 1734, p16 |
| Code | NA277 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| MS/390/204 | Bond of Sir James Thornhill to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 2 April 1724 |