Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 27.djvu/35

 and they sold readily. After a sojourn of nine years in Italy, he established himself in London, hoping to obtain employment as a painter of historical subjects, but, failing in this, he turned to portrait-painting, and met with much success. On his marriage with a Miss Barker, whose family was connected with Bath, he removed to that city, and remained there till his death. Hoare soon obtained a large and lucrative practice; for many years he was without a rival, and most of the distinguished persons who annually visited Bath sat to him; among them was the elder Pitt, who presented his portrait to Lord Temple in 1754, and wrote in high terms of the artist's powers. He seems to have been specially patronised by the members of the Pelham family, whose portraits he frequently painted. At an early period Hoare practised crayon drawing. Rosalba Carriera had made the art popular, and Hoare obtained from her two examples of her work, in order to master the technique of the method. His crayon portraits are very numerous, and perhaps more highly esteemed than his works in oil. In 1749 he made a tour through France and the Netherlands for purposes of study. Vertue mentions that he came to London in 1752 to execute some commissions, but he does not seem to have stayed long. Hoare exhibited occasionally with the Society of Artists and the Free Society, and was one of the committee of artists who made the abortive attempt to establish an academy in 1755. On the foundation of the Royal Academy in 1768, Hoare was chosen one of the original members, his diploma being the last signed by the king, and he was a frequent contributor to its exhibitions up to 1783, sending chiefly works in crayons. At Bath Hoare painted a few religious subjects. He presented a large picture of the Saviour to St. Michael's Church, and for the Octagon Chapel, built in 1767, executed an altar-piece representing the ‘Pool of Bethesda.’ These were ambitious compositions in the style of his master Imperiali, but possessed little merit. The first-named is now in the vestry of St. Michael's, the second remains ‘in situ.’ In the Bath General Hospital is a work of a different class, ‘Dr. Oliver and Mr. Pierce examining patients afflicted with paralysis, rheumatism, and leprosy,’ 1742.

Hoare was a man of scholarly tastes, and enjoyed the personal friendship of many of his eminent sitters. He was a constant visitor at Prior Park, the seat of Ralph Allen [q. v.], where he met Pope and other men of letters. He died at Bath in December 1792. In Bath Abbey is a mural tablet to Hoare's memory, with a medallion of him. He had a numerous family; one son, Prince [q. v.], was the well-known artist and dramatist, and a daughter, Mary, married Henry Hoare, brother of Sir Richard Hoare, bart., of Stourhead. Another daughter exhibited pictures with the Society of Artists and the Free Society between 1761 and 1764. He had a brother who practised as a sculptor at Bath, and executed the statue of ‘Beau’ Nash in the Pump Room.

The corporation of Bath possesses portraits by Hoare of the Earl of Chatham, Christopher Anstey, ‘Beau’ Nash (engraved for his ‘Life,’ 1762), Samuel Derrick, and Governor Pownall; in the National Portrait Gallery are those of Lord Chesterfield, the Duke of Newcastle, Henry Pelham, Lord Temple, and Pope, all in crayons, and a whole length of the Duke of Grafton in oils. His portraits are solidly painted, natural in attitude, and full of character; those in crayons are fine and harmonious in colouring; many of them have been engraved by Faber, Houston, McArdell, Dixon, and others. He etched heads of Charles, fourth duke of Beaufort, Bishop Warburton, Sir Isaac Newton, Ralph Allen, and Peter Stephens, together with Reynolds's profile portrait of the Countess Waldegrave. A portrait of Hoare, painted by his son, has been engraved by S. W. Reynolds, and he appears in Zoffany's picture of the ‘Life School of the Royal Academy,’ engraved by Earlom.

 HOARE, WILLIAM HENRY (1809–1888), divine, born on 31 Oct. 1809, was second son of William Henry Hoare (1776–1819) of Broomfield House, Battersea, Surrey, by Louisa Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Gerard Noel Noel, bart., of Exton, Rutlandshire (, Pedigree of Hore and Hoare, p. 49). He graduated B.A. in 1831 as a member of St. John's College, Cambridge, was a wrangler, obtained a first class in the classical tripos, and was bracketed with Dean Blakesley for the chancellor's medals. In 1833 he was elected fellow of his college, and proceeded M.A. in 1834. He became in 1841 curate of All Saints, Southampton, but ill-health prevented him from accepting any of the livings which were offered to him. He devoted himself to study, became a good Hebrew scholar, and took part in the Colenso controversy. Subsequently he acted for some 