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THOMAS GOOCH. 



(Born circa 1750.) 



nnHOMAS GOOCH, who was born about the 

 •■■ year 1 750, is another of the artists whose frag- 

 mentary history is written only in the catalogues 

 of exhibitions. His pictures are occasionally seen 

 in collections in the old country mansions of Eng- 

 land, but it would appear that he had a tolerably 

 extensive connection. His specialities were eques- 

 trian portraits and portraits of horses and dogs, in 

 the execution of which he displayed considerable 

 artistic talent. He exhibited largely ; his name 

 first appears in 1772, when he contributed a 

 picture to the exhibition of the " Free Society of 

 Artists;" between that date and 1781, when his 

 name figures for the first time in the catalogue of 

 the Royal Academy, he does not appear to have 

 exhibited ; but we find a connecting link in his 

 portrait of the racehorse Goldfinder^size of canvas 

 2 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 2 inches — which he 

 executed in 1777 for Mr. Cook. This picture is 

 in the Elsenham collection, and an engraving from 

 it is here given. 



