Governing the early Hospital
After securing a Royal Charter from King George II, Thomas Coram appointed 172 Governors to oversee the new Foundling Hospital. The original Governors, a group of distinguished gentlemen, helped fund, build, and manage the early Hospital. Coram’s selections included Archbishop John Tillotson, Speaker Arthur Onslow, and artist William Hogarth, among others. Utilising their various connections, these Governors purchased fields around Bloomsbury for their new institution and oversaw construction. They later managed Hospital administration, meeting regularly in the Court Room to interview mothers, hire staff, and receive updates on the children. The Governors also organised social events, successfully positioning the Hospital as a fashionable gathering spot for London’s elite. These men created long term financial stability for the institution, and their respectability helped legitimise the Hospital to the public.
Continuing tradition
Created for the exhibition RSVP, the Museum’s first major contemporary art show, Alex Pearl’s Portrait pays homage to the Hospital Governors. This work features three former Museum trustees: Dr. Alan Borg, CBE, Carolyn Steen, and Michael Parker, all standing in front of William Hogarth’s portrait of Thomas Coram. The final 3D image, a lenticular print, was made from over forty digital photographs. As you view the portrait from different angles, the surface changes and dynamically shifts between each trustee.
Portrait references the various oil portraits in the Museum’s Collection, many commissioned and donated to benefit the Foundling Hospital. During the 18th century, various artists began donating their work to the institution. Wealthy, influential members of society came to the Hospital to see both the art and the children on display. These visits helped to secure commissions for the artists, as well as publicity, support, and donations for the Hospital. Pearl donated Portrait to the Museum in 2007, acting in same generous spirit of many artists before him, including Hogarth, Gainsborough, and Reynolds.
Today, the Foundling tradition of philanthropic art continues well into the 21st century. The Museum continues to build relationships with artists from all creative disciplines, who remain vital to our mission and help us advocate for the use of art as a force for change.
About the artist
A prolific multimedia artist, Alex Pearl operates through a variety of mediums, including video, photography, animation, and kinetic sculpture. He is known for incorporating emerging, cutting-edge technology into his craft, utilising modern software and mechanical mediums to further his understanding of identity, connection, and experience. Pearl’s work explores many different themes, from artificiality and materialism to the human transition into virtual living, from natural spaces to cyberspace. Pearl has exhibited throughout the UK, and internationally. He is currently a senior lecturer in digital media at Ravensbourne University London.
