Thomas Monro was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 art collector and patron

Patronage

Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...

 as well as Physician to George III. He was Principal Physician of the Bethlem Royal Hospital

Bethlem Royal Hospital

The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses....

 in London but resigned in June 1816 as a result of scandal when he was accused of ‘wanting in humanity’ towards his patients.

Monro was best known as a patron to numerous artists (including Peter De Wint

Peter De Wint

Peter De Wint was an English landscape painter.De Wint was the son of an English physician of Dutch extraction who had come to England from New York., he was born in Stone, Staffordshire. He moved to London in 1802, and was apprenticed to John Raphael Smith, the mezzotint engraver and portrait...

, Thomas Girtin

Thomas Girtin

Thomas Girtin was an English painter and etcher. A friend and rival of J. M. W. Turner, Girtin played a key role in establishing watercolour as a reputable art form.-Biography:...

, John Sell Cotman

John Sell Cotman

John Sell Cotman was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator and author, one of the leading lights of the Norwich school of artists.-Early life and work:...

 and William Turner

William Turner (artist)

William Turner was an English painter who specialised in watercolour landscapes. He was a contemporary of the more famous artist J. M. W. Turner and his style was not dissimilar. He is often known as William Turner of Oxford or just Turner of Oxford to distinguish him from his better known namesake...

). The group of artists around him was known as 'The Monro Circle' and included students from his ‘Academy’ in London, where evening classes were given.

Other painters who visited his home included J.M.W. Turner, Joseph Farington

Joseph Farington

Joseph Farington was an 18th-century English landscape painter and diarist.-Life and work:Born in Leigh, Lancashire, Farington was the second of seven sons of William Farington and Esther Gilbody. His father was the rector of Warrington and vicar of Leigh...

, Thomas Hearne

Thomas Hearne (artist)

Thomas Hearne was an English landscape painter, engraver and illustrator. Hearne's watercolours were typified by applying a wash over a clear outline in fine brush, pen or pencil. His techniques were studied by younger artists such as Thomas Girtin and J. M. W. Turner.-Early Life:Thomas Hearne...

 (1744–1817), James Bourne, Henry Edridge

Henry Edridge

Henry Edridge ARA , was the son of a tradesman and apprenticed at the age of fifteen to W. Pether, a mezzotinto engraver and landscape painter, and became proficient as a painter of miniatures, portraits and landscapes....

, William Henry Hunt

William Henry Hunt (painter)

William Henry Hunt , was an English watercolour painter.He was born near Long Acre and was a resident of Marchmont Street, London, and was apprenticed in about 1805 to John Varley, the landscape-painter, with whom he remained five or six years. He exhibited three oil pictures at the Royal Academy...

, John Laporte and John Varley

John Varley (painter)

John Varley was an English watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake. They collaborated in 1819–1820 on the book Visionary Heads, written by Varley and illustrated by Blake...

.

Monro had a house in Adelphi Terrace

Adelphi, London

Adelphi is a district of London, England in the City of Westminster. The small district includes the streets of Adelphi Terrace, Robert Street and John Adam Street.-Adelphi Buildings:...

, London and a cottage in Fetcham

Fetcham

Fetcham is a village in Surrey, England. It is west of Leatherhead, on the other side of the River Mole and Mill Pond springs and the associated nature reserve....

, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

 (until 1805). From 1807 until his death he lived in a 'country house' in Merry Hill near Bushey

Bushey

Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...

 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...

.

Monro was himself an amateur artist, and a pupil of John Laporte

John Laporte (artist)

John Laporte was an English landscape painter and etcher, who worked in and around London, England.-Life and work:...

.

Monro had several children, and three of his sons also became artists, in particular Henry

Henry Monro

Henry Monro was a British painter, associated with the Monro 'Academy' founded by his father Thomas Monro .- Biography :...

(1791-1814).

External links

• Thomas Monro at Contemporary Art.