Emma Hamilton
- Artist: George Romney
- Date: circa 1785
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 24 1/2 in. x 20 1/2 in. (623 mm x 521 mm) overall
- Portrays: Emma (née Lyon), Lady Hamilton
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
In this oil on canvas from 1785 we see George Romney’s portrait of Emma (née Lyon), Lady Hamilton. She looks at us in a poised pose, her hair neat and a delicate hat perched atop. The artist captured the softness of her gaze with careful brushwork and subtle layering that hints at depth beneath the surface.
Romney met Emma when she was just seventeen; he made her his muse, painting her more than sixty times. This canvas is one of those private works kept in his studio, a tribute to her doe‑eyed beauty. It also reflects how both artist and sitter rose in fame: Emma’s dancing and acting gave him lively subjects, while his flattering portrait amplified her celebrity as Nelson’s mistress. The painting offers a snapshot of mid‑Georgian portrait style—intimate, detailed, and rich in color warmth.
See it in person
Emma Hamilton is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
