449:
260:
371:
831:
498:
479:
464:
33:
378:
In an age when restorations to Roman sculptures were broadly conceived and the refinishing of whole surfaces was still common practice, Hamilton maintained a reputation as an honest man who did not tamper unduly with the sculptures that passed through his hands. Hamilton sold many of the works of art
342:
in Tivoli in 1769β1771, at first to acquire marble for his sculptor to restore sculptures. His excavators reopened the outlet of a low-lying swampy area and "after some weeks' work underground by lamp-light and up to the knees in muddy water" retrieved sculptures from the muck, where they had been
182:, and with them visited Naples and Venice. On returning to Britain, he spent several years portrait-painting in London (1751β1756). At the end of that period, he returned to Rome. He lived there for the next four decades, until his death in 1798.
448:
434:, as the Pope claimed one-third of all excavated works and had the right to forbid export of outstanding treasures. In addition, Hamilton paid landowners for excavating rights, so kept his peace with them.
343:
thrown centuries before with timber when
Christians levelled the sacred grove.(Smith 1901:308). From 1771 Hamilton excavated other sites in the environs of Rome: Cardinal
849:
497:
410:, a young sculptor whom he met at a dinner party in December 1779 on Canova's first visit to Rome. The painter advised the younger man to put aside his early,
454:
478:
430:
Such hunting and sale of antiquities was considered a marginally shady undertaking. Hamilton was successful in making generous offerings to the
Vatican's
120:
934:
924:
383:, to whom the painter wrote: "the most valuable acquisition a man of refined taste can make, is a piece of fine Greek Sculpture"; and to
414:
manner and concentrate on conflating the study of nature with the best of antiquities and a narrow range of classic modern sculptors.
774:
939:
919:
527:
Ilaria
Bignamini, 'British Conquerors of the Marbles, 1 Gavin Hamilton as Archaeologist', in Ilaria Bignamini and Clare Hornsby,
884:
469:
608:
463:
303:
864:
384:
299:
782:
370:
259:
170:
under the
Professor of Humanity at the age of 15. By 1744 he was in Italy, and probably studied in Rome in the studio of
773:
Gavin
Hamilton's long series of letters to Lord Shelburne survive. Other purchasers included the Hon. Charles Greville,
348:
295:
899:
879:
705:
565:
929:
253:
894:
889:
621:
284:
914:
794:
344:
315:
227:
and reproduced, these were disseminated widely and enormously influential. Also influential was
Hamilton's
216:
641:
396:
522:
The Life & Letters of Gavin
Hamilton (1723β1798): Artist & Art Dealer in Eighteenth-Century Rome
427:
and sent it to London for sale. His purchase was the version now held by the
National Gallery, London.
403:
272:
208:
830:
738:
21 (1901), pp. 306β321; Irwin, David. (1962) "Gavin
Hamilton: Archaeologist, Painter and Dealer", in
854:
507:
323:
723:
590:
207:, intended to have a pictorial impact equivalent to the epic grandeur of Homer as identified by
778:
105:
571:
327:
167:
115:
248:(1784). Like most later paintings of the scene, it placed it over Lucretia's dead body. In
909:
904:
859:
311:
8:
423:
244:
239:
175:
150:, who is more widely remembered for his searches for antiquities in the neighbourhood of
392:
360:
339:
264:
185:
Aside from a few portraits of friends, the
Hamilton family, and British people on the
840:
790:
719:
604:
586:
418:
331:
549:
A Dictionary of British and Irish Travellers to Italy, 1701β1800, Compiled from the
786:
171:
646:
488:
431:
380:
224:
179:
147:
141:
238:
This inspired a series of "oath paintings" by European painters, which included
600:
407:
307:
280:
233:
190:
873:
613:
575:
550:
387:
at Shelburne, later Lansdowne House, London. In 1771 Hamilton discovered the
294:. He was less widely appreciated in Britain, though his patrons included the
144:
38:
388:
352:
194:
83:
835:
335:
319:
283:
and others in Rome. He received a commission to paint the altar piece of
189:, most of his paintings, many of which are very large, were of classical
163:
133:
61:
154:. These roles in combination made him an arbiter of neoclassical taste.
714:
581:
186:
57:
374:
Gavin Hamilton by Christopher Hewetson, Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow
290:
558:
David Irwin, 'Gavin Hamilton Archaeologist, Painter and Dealer', in
541:
B. Cassidy, 'Gavin Hamilton, Thomas Pitt and statues for Stowe', in
271:
As a painter of classical subjects, Hamilton was highly regarded by
287:, the Scottish national church in Rome, for which he portrayed the
94:
65:
673:
David Irwin, "Gavin Hamilton: Archaeologist, Painter, and Dealer"
844:. Engraved by James Caldwell from the painting by Gavin Hamilton.
32:
347:'s Tor Colombaro, 1771β72, Albano, 1772, Monte Cagnolo 1772β73,
627:
A. H. Smith, 'Gavin Hamilton's Letters to Charles Townley', in
411:
276:
174:. From 1748 to 1750 he shared an apartment with James Stuart,
364:
203:
198:
734:
A. H. Smith, "Gavin Hamilton's Letters to Charles Townley,"
197:
subjects. His most famous is a cycle of six paintings from
249:
151:
137:
79:
318:. Among the artists who sought his favour and advice were
793:
for his Villa Albani, and his fellow antiquities hunter,
379:
he recovered to his British clients, most notably to
751:Irwin 1962:89, noting J.T. Smith's assessment in
399:, a connoisseur and the British envoy at Naples.
16:Scottish neoclassical history painter (1723β1798)
871:
529:Digging And Dealing in Eighteenth-Century Rome
263:Pastel portrait of Gavin Hamilton (detail) by
213:An Enquiry into the Life and Writings of Homer
696:, National Galleries of Scotland, pp. 14 - 23
688:
686:
850:Works in the National Galleries of Scotland
166:, Scotland in 1723, he matriculated at the
683:
534:M. Cima, 'Gavin Hamilton a Gabii ...', in
31:
829:
789:for his museum at the Vatican, Cardinal
369:
258:
872:
597:Scotland and the Origins of Modern Art
545:; 146 (2004 December), p. 806β814
470:Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton
76:4 January 1798 (aged 74–75)
819:(Yale University Press) 1981, p. 66f.
935:People of the Scottish Enlightenment
815:Francis Haskell and Nicholas Penny,
710:Scottish Painting: Ramsay to Raeburn
485:Venus giving Paris Helen as his wife
385:William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
338:, Hamilton undertook excavations at
437:He died in Rome on 4 January 1798.
402:Gavin Hamilton worked closely with
13:
925:18th-century Scottish male artists
718:No. 17, Summer 1984, pp. 25 - 29,
694:Scots in Italy in the 18th Century
664:A Grande HistΓ³ria da Arte (Vol 16)
618:Scots in Italy in the 18th Century
585:No. 17, Summer 1984, pp. 25 - 29,
562:; 44:2 (1962 June), p. 87β102
531:(2010. Yale U.P.), p. 194β207
514:
351:1774β75, the Villa Fonseca on the
14:
951:
825:
536:Villa Borghese: storia e gestione
736:The Journal of Hellenic Studies,
496:
477:
462:
447:
940:Expatriates in the Papal States
809:
629:The Journal of Hellenic Studies
363:), ca 1775 Castel di Guido and
254:overthrow of the Roman monarchy
215:(1735), and also influenced by
920:18th-century Scottish painters
800:
767:
758:
745:
728:
699:
667:
658:
622:National Galleries of Scotland
603:, London (2023), pp. 26 - 64,
508:Pontifical Scots College, Rome
1:
885:18th-century British painters
855:A biography of Gavin Hamilton
712:, in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.),
579:, in Parker, Geoffrey (ed.),
406:. He was an early advisor of
781:, James Hugh Smith-Barry of
631:; 21 (1901), p. 306β321
252:it is made later, after the
221:Treatise on Ancient Painting
157:
7:
642:William Hamilton (diplomat)
635:
231:(1760s), also known as the
10:
956:
785:, Cheshire, and, in Rome,
692:Skinner, Basil C. (1966),
538:, ed. A. Campitelli (2005)
440:
404:Giovanni Battista Piranesi
285:Sant'Andrea degli Scozzesi
273:Johann Joachim Winckelmann
865:2 works from Tate Britain
553:Archive by John Ingamells
111:
100:
90:
72:
46:
30:
23:
860:4 works from the ArtFund
652:
417:In 1785 Hamilton bought
900:Scottish archaeologists
880:People from Lanarkshire
753:Nollekins and His Times
504:Martyrdom of St. Andrew
334:. As an art dealer and
223:(1740). As engraved by
930:Scottish male painters
845:
680:.2 (June 1962:87β102).
375:
268:
106:Scottish Enlightenment
895:Scottish antiquarians
890:Neoclassical painters
833:
817:Taste and the Antique
764:Quoted Irwin 1962:88.
373:
262:
168:University of Glasgow
834:Act V, Scene III of
432:Museo Pio-Clementino
397:Sir William Hamilton
915:British art dealers
570:Scottish Painting:
555:(1997), p. 447
543:Burlington Magazine
487:(1782β84), held by
424:Virgin of the Rocks
245:Oath of the Horatii
240:Jacques-Louis David
176:Matthew Brettingham
41:, 1778, pencil, NGS
846:
595:Duncan Macmillan,
376:
361:Villa dei Quintili
304:Viscount Palmerson
269:
265:Archibald Skirving
136:β 4 January 1798,
37:Gavin Hamilton by
791:Alessandro Albani
742:44:2, pp. 87β102;
706:Macmillan, Duncan
609:978-1-84822-633-3
520:B. Cassidy, ed.,
455:Elizabeth Gunning
419:Leonardo da Vinci
332:Alexander Nasmyth
279:, young sculptor
229:Death of Lucretia
127:
126:
947:
820:
813:
807:
806:Irwin 1962:87ff.
804:
798:
787:Pope Clement XIV
771:
765:
762:
756:
749:
743:
740:The Art Bulletin
732:
726:
703:
697:
690:
681:
675:The Art Bulletin
671:
665:
662:
566:Duncan Macmillan
560:The Art Bulletin
500:
481:
466:
451:
395:. He sold it to
314:, Lord Hope and
209:Thomas Blackwell
172:Agostino Masucci
35:
21:
20:
955:
954:
950:
949:
948:
946:
945:
944:
870:
869:
828:
823:
814:
810:
805:
801:
772:
768:
763:
759:
750:
746:
733:
729:
704:
700:
691:
684:
672:
668:
663:
659:
655:
647:Charles Townley
638:
524:(2 vols., 2012)
517:
515:Further reading
510:
501:
492:
489:Palazzo Braschi
482:
473:
467:
458:
452:
443:
393:Hadrian's Villa
381:Charles Townley
340:Hadrian's Villa
324:William Cochran
316:Sir James Grant
225:Domenico Cunego
217:George Turnbull
180:Nicholas Revett
160:
148:history painter
119:
104:Neoclassicism,
86:
77:
68:
55:
53:
52:
42:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
953:
943:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
868:
867:
862:
857:
852:
827:
826:External links
824:
822:
821:
808:
799:
795:Thomas Jenkins
766:
757:
755:, vol. I:207f.
744:
727:
698:
682:
666:
656:
654:
651:
650:
649:
644:
637:
634:
633:
632:
625:
611:
601:Lund Humphries
593:
563:
556:
546:
539:
532:
525:
516:
513:
512:
511:
506:, held by the
502:
495:
493:
483:
476:
474:
468:
461:
459:
453:
446:
442:
439:
408:Antonio Canova
308:Lord Shelburne
296:Duke of Dorset
281:Antonio Canova
234:Oath of Brutus
159:
156:
130:Gavin Hamilton
125:
124:
121:James Hamilton
116:James Hamilton
113:
109:
108:
102:
98:
97:
92:
88:
87:
78:
74:
70:
69:
56:
51:Gavin Hamilton
50:
48:
44:
43:
36:
28:
27:
25:Gavin Hamilton
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
952:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
877:
875:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
847:
843:
842:
837:
832:
818:
812:
803:
796:
792:
788:
784:
780:
776:
770:
761:
754:
748:
741:
737:
731:
725:
721:
717:
716:
711:
707:
702:
695:
689:
687:
679:
676:
670:
661:
657:
648:
645:
643:
640:
639:
630:
626:
623:
619:
615:
614:Basil Skinner
612:
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
592:
588:
584:
583:
578:
577:
573:
567:
564:
561:
557:
554:
552:
551:Brinsley Ford
547:
544:
540:
537:
533:
530:
526:
523:
519:
518:
509:
505:
499:
494:
490:
486:
480:
475:
471:
465:
460:
456:
450:
445:
444:
438:
435:
433:
428:
426:
425:
420:
415:
413:
409:
405:
400:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
372:
368:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
346:
341:
337:
336:archaeologist
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
300:Lord Egremont
297:
293:
292:
289:Martyrdom of
286:
282:
278:
274:
266:
261:
257:
255:
251:
247:
246:
241:
237:
235:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
205:
200:
196:
192:
188:
183:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
155:
153:
149:
146:
143:
139:
135:
131:
122:
117:
114:
110:
107:
103:
99:
96:
93:
89:
85:
81:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
49:
45:
40:
39:Ozias Humphry
34:
29:
22:
19:
839:
816:
811:
802:
783:Marbury Hall
769:
760:
752:
747:
739:
735:
730:
713:
709:
701:
693:
677:
674:
669:
660:
628:
617:
596:
580:
569:
559:
548:
542:
535:
528:
521:
503:
484:
436:
429:
422:
416:
401:
389:Warwick Vase
377:
357:Roma Vecchia
356:
353:Caelian Hill
345:Flavio Chigi
312:Lord Spencer
288:
270:
243:
232:
228:
220:
212:
202:
184:
161:
145:neoclassical
129:
128:
84:Papal States
18:
910:1798 deaths
905:1723 births
836:Shakespeare
775:Lord Temple
328:David Allan
320:Anne Forbes
164:Lanarkshire
134:Lanarkshire
91:Nationality
62:Lanarkshire
874:Categories
841:Coriolanus
715:Cencrastus
582:Cencrastus
187:Grand Tour
58:Murdostoun
724:0264-0856
620:, (1966,
591:0264-0856
472:(1775β77)
457:(1752/53)
355:in Rome,
291:St Andrew
275:, writer
242:'s noted
158:Biography
118:(brother)
112:Relatives
54:1723 ODNB
708:(1984),
636:See also
162:Born in
142:Scottish
140:) was a
123:(nephew)
101:Movement
95:Scottish
66:Scotland
576:Raeburn
441:Gallery
211:in his
132:(1723,
722:
607:
589:
572:Ramsay
491:, Rome
412:Rococo
277:Goethe
267:, 1788
779:Stowe
653:Notes
365:Gabii
359:(the
349:Ostia
204:Iliad
199:Homer
195:Roman
191:Greek
720:ISSN
605:ISBN
587:ISSN
330:and
250:Livy
193:and
178:and
152:Rome
138:Rome
80:Rome
73:Died
47:Born
838:'s
777:at
574:to
421:'s
391:at
219:'s
201:'s
876::
685:^
678:44
616:,
599:,
568:,
326:,
322:,
310:,
306:,
302:,
298:,
82:,
64:,
60:,
797:.
624:)
367:.
256:.
236:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.