"Tomaso Lorenzo, Court Painter," eighteenth illustration by W. M. Thackeray for "The Rose and The Ring" (1855)

Tomaso Lorenzo, Court Painter

W. M. Thackeray

1855

Wood engraving, probably by William Linton

11.4 cm high by 5.1 cm wide (4 ½ by 2 inches), vignetted

Eighteenth illustration for Thackeray’s The Rose and The Ring, p. 322.

Thackeray depicts the recently arrived court-painter as youthful, handsome, and somewhat philosophical; in other words, a suitable rival for Prince Giglio in Angelica's affections. Descriptive headlines: "Folks With Whom We're All Acquainted Aren't So Handsome as They're Painted" (322-23).

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

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Passage Illustrated: A Handsome Court-painter in Renaissance Costume

Whilst he was lying sick in this way, there came to the Court of Paflagonia a famous painter, whose name was Tomaso Lorenzo, and who was Painter in Ordinary to the King of Crim Tartary, Paflagonia’s neighbour. Tomaso Lorenzo painted all the Court, who were delighted with his works; for even Countess Gruffanuff looked young and Glumboso good-humoured in his pictures. ‘He flatters very much,’ some people said. ‘Nay!’ says Princess Angelica, ‘I am above flattery, and I think he did not make my picture handsome enough. I can’t bear to hear a man of genius unjustly cried down, and I hope my dear papa will make Lorenzo a knight of his Order of the Cucumber.’ ["VI. How Prince Giglio Behaved Himself," 322]

Bibliography

Furniss, Harry. The Rose and The Ring; or, The History of Prince Giglio and the Prince Bulbo. William Makepeace Thackeray's Christmas Books. With illustrations by the author and Harry Furniss. The Harry Furniss Centenary Edition. London: Macmillan and Co., 1911. Pp. 287-428.

Titmarsh, M. A. [W. M. Thackeray].The Rose and The Ring. London: Smith, Elder, 1855.

Created 19 July 2022