The Foundling Hospital

The Foundling Hospital was the UK’s first children’s charity and housed the first public art gallery. It was established in 1739 by Thomas Coram to care for babies at risk of abandonment. One of its earliest supporters was the painter William Hogarth, who donated paintings and persuaded other artists to contribute pictures for the collection. This view shows the handsome hospital buildings with separate wings for boys and girls, and includes three foundling boys and a number of well-dressed visitors who could pay to view the buildings and paintings, inspect the work of the charity and attend the fundraising concerts in the chapel. The hospital has now closed, but its history is told at the Foundling Museum, and its work continues through the Coram group of charities.