Peter Tillemans came over to England from Antwerp in 1708. He established himself as a topographical painter, acquiring a number of landed patrons. Among these was the 4^th Earl of Radnor who commissioned views of Twickenham and Richmond. The best known, “A Prospect of Twickenham”, dating from about 1725 may actually have been commissioned by Alexander Pope, who also admired his work.

Troubled by asthma for most of his life, he retired to Richmond in 1733

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