Unknown - portrait of James Thomson - Rule Britannia

 

 

 

James Thomson - Rule Britannia

This is a miniature portrait of James Thomson, at auction it was described as;

This is a rare period miniature watercolour painting of a Gentleman from c1740, it says on the back its Actor and Dramatist Jimmy Thompson , it is  well painted, good detail, , the frame is early 18th century ,  It is 5cms high x 4cms wide and the period frame is 9cms high. A nice early 18th century portrait

The portrait was found to be painted on vellum, a sign of an early date, and subsequent research has clarified his identity, as James Thomson (c. 11 September 1700 – 27 August 1748), a Scottish poet and playwright, known for his poems The Seasons and The Castle of Indolence,​ and for the lyrics of "Rule, Britannia!". See Wikipedia for a full account of his life,

James Thomson (poet, born 1700) - Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

Rule Britannia

The portrait is believed to be the earliest known portrait of Thomson, with the vellum as evidence of that, as later portraits were on enamel, ivory, or in oil. It is estimated as being painted around the time of Edinburgh education of 1715-1719, or upon his arrival in London in 1725-30, when wigs of this type were still fashionable. ds 1525

Other portraits of him include;

 

 

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