biography of Thomas BISHOP (c.1753-1840)

Birth place: London

Death place: Philadelphia

Addresses: Primarily Philadelphia, from 1811-1840

Profession: Miniaturist, landscape painter

Studied: London

Exhibited: London, 1787, 1798; PAFA and Artists' Fund Society, 1811-41

Work: NYHS

Comments: A resident of London until 1811, Bishop visited France about 1789 and was in Portugal about 1808. He emigrated to America in 1811, settling in Philadelphia, where he spent most of the rest of his life. He was active in the affairs of PAFA and in his last years focused his attention almost exclusively on the Artists' Fund Society. Although he was primarily a miniaturist, he occasionally exhibited landscapes and showed one floral still life. Angelica Bishop (see entry), Philadelphia portrait painter, was his daughter.

Sources: G&W; Sartain, Reminiscences, 71-74; Graves, Dictionary; Rutledge, PA; Brown and Brown; Phila CD 1838-40; Dunlap, History, II, 263. More recently, see NYHS Catalogue (1974), cat. no. 2172.