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| Lady Hamilton As "Medea", c. 1786 George Romney English, 1734-1802 Oil on canvas 29-1/4 x 25-1/4 in. (74.3 x 64.1 cm) The Norton Simon Foundation F.1965.1.058.P © The Norton Simon Foundation On view Born Amy Lyon in 1765 and the daughter of a blacksmith, the refashioned “Emma” Hamilton would become one of the most celebrated personalities of her time. As the companion and then wife of Sir William Hamilton, the British envoy to Naples, Lady Hamilton charmed and entertained guests with her singing and famous “attitudes,” dramatic poses that wordlessly acted out mythological characters. The auburn-haired beauty was a favorite subject for George Romney, who wrote to her in Naples in 1786 that his work on a series of her attitudes was progressing well, especially her re-enactment of Medea, the sorceress and forsaken wife of Jason in the Greek tale of Jason and the Argonauts. In his letter, Romney describes the classical picture as one of “Medea with her hair floating in the air.” View Provenance |
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