page_title: James Thornhill
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: James Thornhill / Life
caption_attribution_description: English: Sketch for the Painted Ceiling of the Greet Hall, Greenwich Hospital: William and Mary Presenting the Cap of Liberty to Europe, about 1710, Sir James Thornhill V&amp;A Museum no. 812-1877 Techniques - Oil on canvas Place - London, England Dimensions - Height 96.5 cm (unframed), Width 66 cm (unframed) Object Type - This is a preliminary study, in effect a design, for part of the decorative scheme in the Painted Hall at Greenwich Hospital, London, newly designed by Christopher Wren. This sketch is not highly finished, and the painting technique is relatively crude but very vigorous. Subjects Depicted - The monarchs, William and Mary, are shown attended by the figures of Concord and the Cardinal Virtues. The King presents the personifications of Peace and Liberty to Europe and tramples on Tyranny and Arbitrary Power. The figure of Architecture holds a drawing of part of the Hospital (which was erected partly as a memorial to the Queen). Time rescues Truth; Wisdom and Virtue destroy the Vices; and Apollo and the Hours are seen in the Heavens. The Signs of the Zodiac, presided over by the Seasons, are grouped around the oval frame. The present ceiling, executed in 1708/9-1712 varies in some respects from this design. People - Thornhill and his assistants worked intermittently on the Painted Hall at Greenwich Hospital for l9 years, completing two vast ceiling paintings and five murals that celebrate the Protestant succession of English monarchs from William and Mary (reigned 1689-1702) to George I (reigned 1714-1727).
context_page_description: Sir James Thornhill was an English painter of historical subjects working in the Italian baroque tradition. He was responsible for some large-scale schemes of murals, including the "Painted Hall" at the Royal Hospital, Greenwich, the paintings on the inside of the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, and works at Chatsworth House and Wimpole Hall.
context_section_description: Thornhill was born in Melcombe Regis, Dorset, the son of Walter Thornhill of Wareham and Mary, eldest daughter of Colonel William Sydenham, governor of Weymouth. In 1689 he was apprenticed to Thomas Highmore (1660–1720), a specialist in non-figurative decorative painting. He also learned a great deal from Antonio Verrio  and Louis Laguerre, two prominent foreign decorative painters then working in England.  He completed his apprenticeship in 1696 and, on 1 March 1704, became a Freeman of the Painter-Stainers' Company of London.
caption: Sketch for the Painted Ceiling of the Great Hall, Greenwich Hospital: William and Mary Presenting the Cap of Liberty to Europe, about 1710, Sir James Thornhill V&A Museum no. 812–1877
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