Thomas Stothard (1755–1834)

Painter and illustrator. Stothard was one of the most prolific book illustrators of his time, and he adapted his art to many media and emerging printing technologies, while simultaneously maintaining a reputation as a history painter and playing a respected role at the Royal Academy.

One of Stothardʼs influential patrons was Samuel Rogers (1763–1855), for whom Stothard provided, among other commissions, the figure vignettes to illustrate the poetʼs 1830 edition of the travelogue poem, Italy. Ruskin imitated the style of these vignettes, along with those designed by Turner and Prout for the same publication, in the fair copy of his own Account of a Tour on the Continent.