Sir James Thornhill (1675-1734) has sketched himself surrounded by members of his family, as he stands before an easel, on which rests his copy, after Raphael, of St. Paul preaching.
The study, in pen, brown ink and brown wash, is inscribed with the names of the sitters, including his son-in-law William Hogarth.
Thornhill was an English painter of historical subjects who is known in particular for his vast mural schemes, such as the Painted Hall at the Royal Hospital, Greenwich and the inside of the Dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
