The Elizabethan wall paintings of Hill Hall: influences and techniques

Abstract

Executed c. 1570 for Sir Thomas Smith, Queen Elizabeth I's ambassador to Paris, the wall paintings of Hill Hall are among the finest of their period. Including both biblical and classical themes, the paintings are based on a series of Italian engravings and Flemish woodcuts. While European architectural influence of this period is well known, the response of English wall paintings to influences from the continent has been less widely examined. Since 1994, the paintings at Hill Hall have been the subject of an extensive programme of investigation and analysis. Detailed examination of the original materials and painting techniques has shed considerable light on the little-known field of wall painting practice of this period. In addition, comparison of the print sources with both the underdrawing and the finished paintings reveals the adaptations made for a different medium and a different culture.