Biography of Thomas Stothard 1755-1834

Georgian Memoirs. In 1810, he painted a picture of the death of Richard the Second in Pomfret Castle [Map], in which the costume of the period was strictly adhered to, and the portrait of Richard taken from his effigy in Westminster Abbey. It was received with unanimous approbation upon its exhibition at Somerset House, and indicated superior talents, in the artist, for historical painting. This branch of his art, however, he was also induced to forego, in consequence of an attachment he had formed with a [his future daughter-in-law] Miss Kempe (age 19), to whom he was subsequently married. A more lucrative mode of occupation than that of historical portrait painting, had suggested itself to him as far back as the year 1802, when he accompanied his father to Burleigh House, the seat of the Marquess of Exeter. Mr. Stothard, senior (age 54), was employed to decorate the staircase of this mansion; and, whilst thus occupied, observed to his son, it would be to his future advantage, to fill up his time, by making drawings from the monuments in the neighbouring churches, as useful authorities for costume. His son followed his advice, and thus received the first bias of his mind towards a subject which he now resolved to make his pursuit. The hint for the design, which he afterwards carried into effect, was first given him by a sight of some very clever unpublished etchings, by the Rev. P. Kerrich, of Cambridge, from monuments in the Dominicans and other churches in Paris. This suggested to him the idea of a work on The Monumental Effigies of Great Britain, of which the first number appeared in June, 1811, accompanied by an advertisement, stating that the objects of the undertaking were to afford the historical painter a complete knowledge of the costume adopted in England, from an early period of history to the reign of Henry the Eighth; to illustrate, at the same time, history and biography; and, lastly, to assist the stage in selecting its costume with propriety, for the plays of our great dramatic bard. Such a work was, undoubtedly, a great desideratum; for, whatever information is to be derived from Mr. Gough's writings, in his voluminous publication of the same kind, the delineating part, as Mr. Stothard observes, in an essay found after his death, is so extremely incorrect and full of errors, that, at a future period, when the originals no longer exist, it will be impossible to form any correct idea of what they really were.