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Tilly Kettle

1735 - 1786

Tilly Kettle
Early Modern
Early Modern

Tilly Kettle

Born 1735 Died 1786

Tilly Kettle: The First Englishman Painting India Tilly Kettle (1735–1786) stands as a singular figure in British art history—the first prominent English portrait painter to establish himself successfully within the vibrant cultural landscape of India during the zenith of the East India Company’s dominion. Born in London, the son of a coach painter from a family steeped in brewing tradition for five generations, Kettle's artistic journey began with foundational training under William Shipley at the Strand, marking him as part of a burgeoning artistic milieu eager to explore new horizons. Hi…

6
works mapped
3
subjects
1786
active until
An Interactive Constellation

The Subject Atlas

A chart of Tilly Kettle's corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.

Focus a Subject
Trace a Context

Spokes — Subject

Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.

Rings — Career Period

Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.

Threads — Shared Context

Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.