Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton, in a Straw Hat
Maker
George Romney
(British, 1734-1802)
SitterSitter:
Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton
(British, 1765 - 1815)
Collections
ClassificationsPAINTINGS
Dateca.1782-1794
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm.)
Credit LineThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Label TextExceptional beauty, ability, and ambition enabled Emma Hart’s rise to fame as the infamous Lady Hamilton—the mistress of naval hero Lord Nelson—and secured her position as Romney’s muse. This portrait captures not only her womanly beauty but also the flirtatiousness of a girl still in her teens. Her pose is both self-protective and coy—the act of hugging her arms close to her body could be seen as modest, but the fact that this gesture emphasizes her breasts also calls attention to her physical desirability.Status
On viewObject number24.5
George Romney
ca.1789-91
Object number: 20.9
George Romney
1786-1792
Object number: 11.44
Thomas Lawrence
ca.1809-1830
Object number: 17.29
George Romney
1777
Object number: 78.20.35
Joshua Reynolds
ca.1774-1775
Object number: 23.62
