Sir William Hamilton

Reynolds's portrait of Sir William Hamilton, painted around 1777-1779, depicts the British ambassador to Naples who became one of the most important collectors and antiquarians of the eighteenth century. Hamilton's collections of Greek vases and volcanic specimens profoundly influenced European taste and scholarship. Reynolds's portrait captures the diplomat-collector at the height of his career, before the sensational events surrounding his second wife Emma and Lord Nelson.

Reynolds's mature oil technique creates a commanding portrait with rich, warm coloring and confident, fluid brushwork. The ambassador is presented with the dignity appropriate to his diplomatic rank, while the composition suggests the cultivated intelligence that defined Hamilton's character.