Thomas Richmond (1802–1874) was a British portrait painter, known for his idealised pictures in the so-called keepsake style. He was the son of Thomas Richmond (1771–1837), the miniature painter, and the brother of George Richmond. Richmond initially practiced in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...

, and later moved to London. His main clientele was among the hunting fraternity. Between 1833 and 1860 he exhibited fifty one portraits in London.James S. Dearden, ''John Ruskin: a life in pictures'', Continuum, 1999, p. 30 He exhibited forty-five portraits at the Royal Academy and six at the

Suffolk Street gallery The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy. History The RBA commenced with twenty-seven members, and took until 1876 to reach fif ...

. Richmond's paintings are close in style to his father's work, but distinguished by the characteristic use of dark stippling in the background. His paintings were criticised for their overly idealised and sugary presentations of subjects, especially women. When

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...

's father commissioned Richmond to paint his daughter-in-law

Effie Gray Euphemia Chalmers Millais, Lady Millais (''née'' Gray; 7 May 1828 – 23 December 1897) was a Scottish artists' model and the wife of Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais. She had previously been married to the art critic John Ruskin ...

, Effie wrote of the finished work to her mother: :'...it is the most lovely piece of oil painting but much prettier than me. I look like a graceful Doll but John and his father are delighted with it'.Euphemia ('Effie') Chalmers (née Gray), Lady Millais, National Portrait Gallery
/ref> Richmond and his brother George had met Ruskin during his trip to Rome in 1840-1. He accompanied him on his visits to galleries. Ruskin's father was not as delighted with the portrait of Effie as she believed. He wrote to his son that Thomas was inferior as an artist to his brother: "Tom I regret to say cannot hold a candle to George - It is second rate or lower". Richmond died in 1874 at

Windermere Windermere (sometimes tautologically called Windermere Lake to distinguish it from the nearby town of Windermere) is the largest natural lake in England. More than 11 miles (18 km) in length, and almost 1 mile (1.5 km) at its wides ...

, where he had purchased an estate, but was buried in

Brompton cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is a London cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries. Establ ...

, London.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richmond, Thomas 1802 births 1874 deaths 19th-century English painters English male painters English portrait painters 19th-century English male artists