Where Is Lady Hamilton as Circe? See It at Tate Britain

Q: Where is Lady Hamilton as Circe displayed?

This painting hangs at Tate Britain in London. The museum holds an important collection of British art, including several portraits from the 18th century when Romney was among the most sought-after painters in England.

Q: Who painted Lady Hamilton as Circe?

George Romney created this portrait around 1782. He painted Emma Hart more than sixty times over several years, making her his most frequent model and muse during this period of his career.

British artist George Romney painted this theatrical portrait around 1782, depicting Emma Hart (later Lady Hamilton) as the enchantress Circe from Greek mythology. Emma's dramatic pose and flowing costume show her gift for performance that made her famous in aristocratic circles. Romney's fluid brushwork captures both her beauty and her talent for embodying mythological characters.

Romney painted Emma dozens of times, clearly captivated by her expressive face and theatrical presence. This portrait dates from their most productive period together, before she became Lady Hamilton and the mistress of Admiral Nelson. Now at Tate Britain in London, the painting documents both a celebrated beauty and one of the era's most important artistic partnerships.

This painting hangs at Tate Britain in London. The museum holds an important collection of British art, including several portraits from the 18th century when Romney was among the most sought-after painters in England.

George Romney created this portrait around 1782. He painted Emma Hart more than sixty times over several years, making her his most frequent model and muse during this period of his career.

Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton, rose from humble origins to become one of Georgian England's most famous women. She married Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to Naples, and later became the mistress of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Circe was a sorceress in Homer's Odyssey who transformed Odysseus's men into pigs. Emma was known for her "attitudes," living tableaux where she posed as classical and mythological figures, making Circe a fitting role for her talents.

Lady Hamilton as Circe

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Also at Tate Britain

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