Early Life, Family and Training Henry Tilson was born in Yorkshire in 1659. He came from a family with deep roots in the church; his grandfather was Henry Tilson, who served as the Bishop of Elphin from 1576 to 1655. His father, Nathaniel Tilson, provided the immediate household into which Henry was born. These connections placed him within a specific social circle from his earliest years. His path toward painting began in the studio of Sir Peter Lely. Henry Tilson did not merely observe from the sidelines; he worked for Lely, learning the mechanics of portraiture through direct practice. Th…