ARTIST: - (Europe, early 20 century) AFTER George Romney (United Kingdom, 1734 - 1802)
TITLE: Lady Hamilton as The Spinstress
MEDIUM: oil on board
CONDITION: Some small damages to corners. Some scratches/paint losses (see pictures carefully). No visible inpaint under UV light. Normal wear along edges.
ART SIZE: 15 x 12 inches / 38 x 30 cm
FRAME SIZE: unframed (In-House framing available)
SIGNATURE: unsigned
LOCATION: This lot is located at our Mamaroneck, NY office.
CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online
AD: ART WANTED: Consign, Trade In, Cash Offer

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SKU#: 135467
US SHIPPING: $49 + insurance.

BIOGRAPHY:
George Romney (1734-1802). Ranking behind only Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough as the top English portrait painter of his era, George Romney is an ancestor of American businessman George W. Romney (1907-1995) and former Massachusetts governor and presidential nominee (2012) Mitt Romney.He had craftsmanship of a high order (his pictures are nearly all in an admirable state of preservation), a real talent for drawing, a native simplicity of eye and mind that permitted him to concentrate on essentials, and a prodigious capacity for work.George Romney was born on December 26, 1734 at Beckside, Lancashire, England. He was at first apprenticed to a wood carver. In 1762 he went off to London, deserting his wife and two children. The following years he spent in Paris and Italy and he returned to London in 1775 to establish himself as a portraitist in competition with Reynolds and Gainsborough. He was one of Lady Hamilton's favored artists and over a period of nine years he did various versions of her as "Joan of Arc", "Bacchante" and other romantic characters.The National Gallery of Art notes the artist Romney was "introverted and neurotic," refusing to accept an invitation to join the Royal Academy. While there has been much speculation about his actual relationship with the Academy, there is no doubt that he normally remained aloof maintaining that a good artist should succeed without being a member.Romney cursed the "drudgery of portrait painting" and yet worked harder at his craft than even Gainsborough or Reynolds. His diaries for the years 1776 to 1795 record about 9000 sittings, and his Saturdays and Sundays were seldom free of appointments. His earnings averaged 1200 pounds a year during this period, not an untidy sum for any 18th century artist. When his dissatisfaction with portraiture overwhelmed him, he turned for relaxation to his fine collection of antique casts and dreamed of painting "historical and ideal pictures." In 1782 Romney was introduced to Emma Hamilton (then called Emma Hart) who became his muse. He painted over 60 portraits of her in various poses, sometimes playing the part of historical or mythological figures. He also painted many other contemporaries, including fellow artist Mary Moser.Romney's career falls into three periods: at Kendal from 1757 to 1762, in London from 1762 to 1773 and then, following a two-year visit to Italy, in London again from 1775 until his retirement in 1796. The second London period is well documented, thanks to the survival of his diaries and framing books. Most of Romney's patrons preferred to use his frame maker and were happy to have their portraits framed in standard 'Romney' patterns.Throughout the separation from his family, he maintained contact and financially supported them, but they never lived with him in the capital. In 1789 he returned to his wife and lived in retirement at Kendal until his death on November 15, 1802.