Thomas Patch English, 1725-1782

Thomas Patch (Exeter, England, 1725 – Florence, Italy, 1782)

Born in Exeter, England, in 1725, Thomas Patch began studying medicine but soon abandoned it to move to Rome in 1747 with engraver Richard Dalton. There, he decided to dedicate himself to painting, enrolling in the school of landscape painter Claude-Joseph Vernet under the patronage of Lord Charlemont, who acquired his first works.

During his Roman stay, Patch met Joshua Reynolds and became interested in caricature, a genre introduced in Rome by Pier Leone Ghezzi.

In 1755, he was banned from Rome due to alleged homosexual indiscretions and took refuge the following year in Florence, where he spent the rest of his life.

In Florence, Patch enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1757 and joined other amateur painters on a study trip that took him to Venice and Istria. Upon his return to Florence, he connected with wealthy English tourists, aided by his friendship with Sir Horace Mann, the British ambassador.

In addition to numerous landscape views, he produced caricatures and engravings and published prints reproducing works by Giotto, Masaccio, Ghiberti, and Fra Bartolomeo.

The artist passed away in Florence in 1782.

Photo UniCredit Group (Sebastiano Pellion di Persano)