A pencil sketch of Agatha Thornycroft by William 'Hamo' Thornycroft

A pencil sketch of Agatha Thornycroft by William 'Hamo' Thornycroft, titled Highbridge Sept 5th 1896, framed unsigned, annotated to the reverse Hamo Thornycroft R.A. Portrait of Agatha Thornycroft (1896) image 17.5 x 12cm. Provenance William 'Hamo' Thornycroft, thence by Descent Agatha Thornycroft, Hamo Thornycroft's wife, also sat for several of his bronze plaques, medals and sculptures. This portrait, although dated 6 years after the medal of her by Hamo and cast by the James Moore foundry, bears a striking resemblance. Agatha is often cited as one of the inspirations for Thomas' Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbevilles, and he is recorded stating she is "the most beautiful woman in England...... on whom I thought when i wrote 'Tess of the d'Urbevilles'. Reproduced letter from Hamo to Agatha May 4th '94 page 125 Marble & Bronze, The Art and Life of Hamo Thornycroft by Elfrida Manning).