William Hoare (1707-1792) "an ingenious and amiable English artist" was himself a governor of the Bath Hospital and took a keen interest in the management of the institution, regularly attending weekly meetings where he became closely acquainted with the medical staff who were ex officio members of the management committee.

As a child, he displayed an artistic talent which induced his father to apprentice him to the artist Guiseppi Grisoni who had studied in Florence but subsequently worked in London. Through Grisoni, Hoare developed an admiration for the great Italian masters. 

In 1728, Grisoni left England for Rome and Hoare travelled with him. Rome afforded Hoare the possibility of studying classical painting and sculpture and to develop his technique in using pastel, a medium which he employed with great skill in his self portrait, now in possession of the hospital.