Thomas Seton

John Thomas Seton (c.1738-1806) also spelled Thomas Seaton, was a Scottish painter.

Steon was the son of Christopher Seton, a gem engraver of London. He was a pupil of Francis Hayman, and studied at the St. Martin's Lane Academy. He went on the Grand Tour to Italy, where he was in Rome in 1758/9 where he lived on the Strada della Croce and was involved in the expatriate artist community. He assisted in winding up the affairs of the young painter Jonathan Skelton who died tragically while there.

He was a more rounded artist on his return to Britain, and was exhibiting in 1761 at the Society of Artists and receiving commission for portraits and conversation pieces from a fairly exalted clientele. Within a few years he had settled in Edinburgh, and his portraits of Scottish high-society are amongst the more memorable of his age.

He spent a decade in India (1776-1785) where he had a good portrait practice, but returned to Scotland where he was last recorded in Edinburgh in 1806.

His work frequently appears at auction at Sotheby's and Christie's.

ources

* "Concise Dictionary of Scottish Painters", Paul Harris Publishing 1976