Thomas Tomkins (calligrapher)

Thomas Tomkins (1743–1816) was an English calligrapher.

Thomas Tomkins, 1789 portrait by Joshua Reynolds. Tomkins bequeathed this painting to the City of London.

Life

He kept for many years a writing school in Foster Lane, London. Tomkins was a friend of Samuel Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and used to demonstrate how he could draw a perfect circle with the pen; but was ridiculed by Isaac D'Israeli. He died in Sermon Lane, Doctors' Commons, in September 1816. His partner in the writing academy, John Reddall, survived till 17 August 1834.

Works

Among examples from his pen are:

Title page to Temple of Flora (1812) by Robert John Thornton, calligraphy by Thomas Tomkins.[1]

Tomkins published:

Engraving of Thomas Tomkins after George Engleheart, by Lewis Schiavonetti, prefixed to Tomkins's Rays of Genius (1806).

References

Notes

  1. Nicolas Barker (2005). Treasures of the British Library. British Library. p. 95. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Tomkins, Thomas (1743-1816)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.