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John Thomas (1696–1781), Bishop of Winchester
Historical Context
This 1761 portrait of John Thomas, Bishop of Winchester, depicts one of the senior prelates of the Church of England. Winchester was one of the wealthiest bishoprics in England, and its holders were important figures in both ecclesiastical and political life. Dance's portraits combined the formal conventions of Grand Manner portraiture with a cooler, more austere palette and sculptural figure treatment that reflected his years studying in Rome under the influence of Pompeo Batoni.
Technical Analysis
The episcopal portrait presents Thomas with the dignity appropriate to one of England's most senior bishops, Dance rendering the clerical vestments and scholarly features with practiced precision.
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