Thomas Todd was a London druggist and tea dealer who established long lasting drug, tea and confectionary businesses in Fleet Street in the latter part of the 18th century.
Todd is a figure of particular interest to the history of London. He was one of the many successful tradesmen who migrated to London from northern England and epitomised the kind of business acumen which ensured the growth of Britain’s industrial, mercantile and commercial empire in the eighteenth century.
Chitqua was a Chinese modeller or face maker who was in London for a short period. The face would have been modelled by Chitqua from memory and the features achieve a startling photographic realism. Few such figures appear to have survived due to the fragility of the media.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Figure of Thomas Todd, c1770
Date supported
2011
Medium and material
Clay, plaster
Dimensions
Height: 40 cm
Grant
15,000
Total cost
35,000
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