Two designs for the inset paintings in the lower wall of the Great Hall at Moor Park, Hertfordshire

1725

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Two designs for the inset paintings in the lower wall of the Great Hall at Moor Park, Hertfordshire is a 1725 by James Thornhill, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: James Thornhill
When & what style?: 1725 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

These are sketches by James Thornhill. They show designs for wall paintings in a grand house. The top sketch shows a scene from Plutarch’s life of Pompey. The bottom one shows Marcus Curtius leaping into a pit in Rome. Thornhill used pen and ink, then added a blue-grey wash for shadows. The drawings helped plan big decorative panels. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more.

The story of this work

Overview

Two pen-and-ink drawings with blue wash by James Thornhill depict proposed inset paintings for the lower wall of the Great Hall at Moor Park, Hertfordshire. The upper sheet illustrates a scene from Plutarch’s account of Pompey’s life, while the lower sheet shows Marcus Curtius leaping into the chasm in Rome as recounted by Livy. Thornhill sketched these designs in pencil, ink, and wash, likely between 1720 and 1728 when he was rebuilding and decorating the house. The drawings were later purchased in 1891 as part of an album of his works.

Read the full account in the museum source.