Biography of Beach, Thomas (British painter, 1738-1806)

From his home at Milton Abbas in Dorset, Beach went up to London in 1760 to work in Reynolds’s studio for two years, and became a student at the St Martin’s Lane academy. In 1771, he left London for Bath, where by 1778 he was renting a house from the artist Charles Davis in 2 Westgate Buildings. Since this was on the direct carriage route from the fashionable Circus it helped to attract would-be sitters; and soon he had established a reputation as a sound portraitist with a direct realistic approach and the ability to catch a good likeness.  His practice was to remain here for the winter season, and then by touring Somerset and Dorset find his clients in their country houses.  From 1772, he sent paintings up to the annual exhibitions of the Society of Artists, and in due course was elected their Vice President (1782) and President (1783). He also exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1785-90, and in 1797. He decided to leave Bath for London in 1784, though he returned here in 1799 and lived at 6 Bath Street until 1803. For the last three years of his life he settled in Dorchester.