George Romney Paintings

English, 1734-1802

George Romney is best known as one of British society’s foremost portrait painters of the 18th century, rivaling other widely acknowledged portraitists such as Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds.

Born in 1734 in Dalton-on-Furness, Romney was the son of a cabinetmaker. In 1755, he began his artistic career as an apprentice to portrait painter Christopher Steele before traveling to northern England to establish a painting studio in Kendal. Romney’s talent in portraiture proved fruitful. By 1762, he had made enough money to set up a studio in London, where he became renowned for an “ability to paint flattering images regardless of personality.”

During the 1760s, Romney had hoped to become a history painter but was unsuccessful. To refine and improve his technique, he traveled to Rome in 1773, where he spent two years studying the Old Masters, including Titian, Correggio and Raphael. While there, he was also influenced by the works of Swiss painter Henry Fuseli.

Upon his return to London, in 1775, and with his newly honed painting style, Romney became even more popular among the British aristocracy and nobility. Although his primary aspiration was to make a living as a historical painter, Romney was in demand as a portraitist. His favorite subjects were children and women, particularly his muse, Emma Hart — who later became Lady Hamilton and mistress of Admiral Lord Nelson. Romney painted several Romantic portraits and drew many sketches of Lady Hamilton, whom he considered to represent the ideal of feminine beauty.

In his later years, Romney produced several portraits and drawings of Shakespearean subjects for John Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery in 1790.

Romney’s figurative works, portraits and prints are held in collections of numerous major museums and galleries, including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection in New York. In 2002, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of Romney’s death was organized by the National Museums Liverpool in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Gardens in San Marino, California.

On 1stDibs, find a range of original George Romney drawings, paintings and prints.

Artist: George Romney

George RomneyPortrait of Anne Evelyn - British 18thC Old master oil painting excellent prov., 1788

$97,961Sale Price|20% Off

Portrait of Anne Evelyn - British 18thC Old master oil painting excellent prov.

By George Romney

Located in Hagley, England

This stunning British 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting, with exceptional provenance, is by noted artist George Romney. It was painted in 1788, commissioned by James Evelyn of Felbridge as it is of his younger daughter Anne, aged 20 years old. James was a Doctor of Law and Anne's mother was his second wife, Jane. Felbridge house, Anne's home, was in the village of Godstone in Surrey. This superb oil painting is a seated portrait of Anne, wearing a white dress with a green sash, her forearms exposed and her hands in her lap. Anne is blessed with the most wonderful long auburn curly hair and is visually stunning. Her body is partly turned away from the artist/viewer and she is slightly gazing down at us with confident, clear eyes. Anne is pictured in a landscape with a dramatic sky behind her. Romney's brushwork on her dress, hair and the background is superb. The delicate detailing of her facial features is also stunning. Sometimes Old Master portraits can be a little staid, but this one of Anne with her wild auburn hair and bold look is just magnificent. This is a fantastic example of George Romney's work and of an 18th century British Old Master with exceptional detailed provenance. Name plate states: Anne, younger daughter of James Evelyn of Fellbridge Esq. 1788, aged 20. Romney. Provenance. With Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, 3rd Earl of Liverpool (1784-1851) With The Hon. Henry Berkeley Portman (1860-1923), Later 3rd Viscount Portman; with Emma, Viscountess Portman (1862-1929) By 1926; with her daughter Lady Moyra Dawson-Damer (1897-1962) Thence by family descent. Painted in 1788. There are various labels verso. Mentioned in Lord Hawkesbury's Catalogues of Portraits at Compton Place and at Buxted Park, in Sussex, 1903, p.18, no. 3, at Buxted Park, as in the 'Dining Room, South Wall'. Further Bibliography: Gower (R. S.) Romney, London, 1904, p. 175 Kidson (Alex) George Romney, A Complete Catalogue of his Paintings, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2015, I, p. 205, no. 422 (illus).Ward (Humphrey) and Roberts (William) Romney: A Biographical and Critical Essay, London: T Agnew & Sons, 1904, p. 51 Condition. Oil on canvas. Image size 30 inches by 24 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt frame with name plate, 37 inches by 31 inches and in good condition. George Romney (1734-1802) was born in Dalton-on-Furness, Lancashire, on 15 December 1734, the third of the eleven children of John Romney and Anne Simpson. Leaving school at the age of eleven, he worked for eight years in his father's cabinetmaking workshop before being apprenticed to a local painter, Christopher Steele, with whom he served for two years, from 1755 to 1757, in Kendal, York, and Lancaster. He married a Kendal girl, Mary Abbot...

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1780s Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

George RomneyPortrait of a Gentleman, traditionally identified as Edward Addison, Esq., 1780s, 1780s

$25,170

Portrait of a Gentleman, traditionally identified as Edward Addison, Esq., 1780s

By George Romney

Located in Henley-on-Thames, England

George Romney (1734-1802) Portrait of a Gentleman, traditionally identified as Edward Addison, Esq., c.1780s Oil on canvas In a period carved and gilded swept frame 76.3 x 63.2 cm.; ...

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1780s Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

George RomneyPortrait of Lady Caroline Price, 1774

$1,495,000

Portrait of Lady Caroline Price

By George Romney

Located in Miami, FL

DESCRIPTION: Perhaps the best Romney in private hands. If Vogue Magazine existed in the late 18th century, this image of Lady Caroline Price would be ...

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1970s Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

George RomneyOil Painting by George Romney "Portraits of a Lady and Gentleman", 1780

$6,734Sale Price|28% Off

Oil Painting by George Romney "Portraits of a Lady and Gentleman"

By George Romney

Located in Mere, GB

Oil Painting Pair circle of by George Romney "Portraits of a Lady and Gentleman" 1734 - 1802 Romney was a leadway society portrait painter of the Georgian ear...

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1780s George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

George RomneyPortrait of Lady Anne Dutton, Oil on canvas, 18th English Century Painting

$132,656

Portrait of Lady Anne Dutton, Oil on canvas, 18th English Century Painting

By George Romney

Located in London, GB

Oil on canvas, unsigned Image size: 22 x 20 inches (22.75 x 51 cm) Pierced gilt carved frame Provenance Commissioned by James Lenox Dutton (1713-1777) Sherborne House, Dorset Family descent This half-length portrait shows the sitter with her head and eyes looking over her shoulder, to the right. She is dressed in a delicate blue dress and blue shawl with her hair tied up away from her face. The composition of the painting is simple but effective; the woman stands out and is the undeniable focus of the viewer's attention. George Romney's artistic style is characterised by its focus on the beauty and elegance of human forms. Here, one can appreciate his ability to capture the delicacy of facial features and the soft textures of clothing. In addition, Romney has used a soft and diffuse brushstroke technique that creates a light and soft effect in the work. The dark and diffused background highlights the young woman's figure even more, creating an effect of depth and realism. The sitter of this painting is likely Anne Dutton, the daughter of James Lenox Dutton and Jane Bond. Anne Dutton (1743-1821) was the 13 x great great granddaughter of King Edward III, and married politician Samuel Blackwell. Anne sat for portraits by Francis Cotes which bear a striking resemblance to this portrait, and her father was a known patron of Romney. George Romney Romney was a fashionable portrait painter of late 18th-century English society. In his portraits Romney avoided delving into the character or sensibilities of the sitter. His great success with his society patrons depended largely on just this ability for dispassionate flattery. Line rather than colour dominates; the flowing rhythms and easy poses of Roman classical sculpture underlie the smooth patterns of his compositions. From 1755 to 1757 Romney was the pupil of Christopher Steele, an itinerant portrait and genre painter. Romney’s career began when he toured the northern English counties painting portraits for a few guineas each. In 1762 he went to London. His history painting The Death of General Wolfe won him an award from the Society of Arts; nonetheless he turned almost immediately to portrait painting. In 1764 he paid his first visit to Paris, where he was befriended by Joseph Vernet. Romney especially admired the work of Nicolas Le Sueur, whose use of the antique strongly appealed to him. In 1773 he went to Italy for two years, where he studied Raphael’s Stanze frescoes in Rome, Titian’s paintings...

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18th Century George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Giovan Battista Salvi known as 'il Sassoferrato' (1609 - 1685)Madonna Child Maria Sassoferrato Paint Oil on canvas 17th Century Old master Art, 1630-1680

$9,710Sale Price|20% Off

H 44.1 in W 37.41 in

Madonna Child Maria Sassoferrato Paint Oil on canvas 17th Century Old master Art

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Giovan Battista Salvi known as 'il Sassoferrato' (1609 - 1685) circle/ workshop Madonna with sleeping child Oil on canvas 84 x 66 cm - Framed (19th century) 112 x 95 cm The paintin...

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17th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743) CirclePortrait Philip V King Rigaud Paint Oil on canvas 17/18th Century Old master Art, 1695-1720

$7,364Sale Price|20% Off

H 34.26 in W 28.75 in

Portrait Philip V King Rigaud Paint Oil on canvas 17/18th Century Old master Art

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743) Circle Portrait of Philip V, King of Spain (Versailles 1683 - Madrid 1746) Oil on canvas 72 x 59 cm - framed 87 x 74 cm. The painting examined here, depicting King Philip V of Spain (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743), is to be placed in the circle of the painter Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743), one of the most significant portrait painters of his time and a great interpreter of the French school. This is a work of excellent pictorial quality: note the rendering of the facial features and the sharpness of the contours emphasised by the light. The face is characterised by chiaroscuro passages that verisimilarly reproduce light and its effects, rendered with great skill. Philip V wears a black satin costume with a sword at his side, he wears the stiff white Spanish collar and at the same time wears the blue sash of the Order of the Holy Spirit and the collar of the Habsburg Order of the Golden Fleece: this bringing together of the two main orders of France and Spain announced the possibility of a union between the two crowns. In Spanish costume, this effigy is nevertheless fully in line with the French tradition of ceremonial portraiture, also testifying to the renewal that Rigaud had brought about, particularly through the relationship between the character and the splendour of the decoration. The work is inspired, reworked in a reduced format to make it suitable for a private clientele, by the large painting that Rigaud made for the sovereign around 1700, today conserved in the Louvre, reproduced by the same workshop in numerous other versions. The account books...

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17th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

19th Century English School19th century English Portrait of a Young boy in a Cavalier costume, circa 1860

$3,950

H 27.5 in W 19.5 in

19th century English Portrait of a Young boy in a Cavalier costume

Located in Woodbury, CT

This elegant English 19th-century portrait of a young boy dressed in a Cavalier costume, painted circa 1860, is a striking example of Victorian portraiture that seamlessly combines h...

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1860s Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Francesco de MuraItalian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic, 1711-1782

$13,001

H 21.66 in Dm 15.75 in

Italian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic

By Francesco de Mura

Located in Firenze, IT

This beautiful Italian 18th Century old masters oil painting on oval canvas with giltwood frame is attributed to Solimena and features a religious scene. In this splendid oval-shaped painting are depicted Saint Dominic...

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18th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

(Studio of) Michiel van MiereveltDutch Old Master Portrait of Maurits, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Oil on Panel, 17th Century

$10,544

H 37.8 in W 33.47 in D 2.37 in

Dutch Old Master Portrait of Maurits, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Oil on Panel

Located in London, GB

In 1607, the Delft city council decided to commission a portrait of Stadholder Maurits of Nassau for the town hall, with Michiel van Mierevelt as the chosen artist due to the passing...

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17th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Italian Old Master 18th CenturyFine Italian Old Master Oil Painting Angel & Saints Appearing to Figures, 17th century

$5,442Sale Price|20% Off

H 22 in W 26 in

Fine Italian Old Master Oil Painting Angel & Saints Appearing to Figures

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: Italian Old Master, 18th century Title: Angel and Saints appearing to figures, one dressed in a white ruff collar. Medium: oil on canvas...

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Early 18th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

18th Century, Antique Oil Painting, Old Master. Portrait of Mother with child.

$5,673Sale Price|20% Off

H 43.31 in W 34.65 in

18th Century, Antique Oil Painting, Old Master. Portrait of Mother with child.

Located in Berlin, DE

18th century, antique painting, oil on canvas, old master. Mother with child. Relined canvas. Stretcher frame also renewed. Artist unknown.

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18th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

18th Century EuropeanLarge 18th Century European Oil Painting Portrait of Noble Lady Lace Collars, 18th century

$2,122Sale Price|20% Off

H 37.5 in W 32 in

Large 18th Century European Oil Painting Portrait of Noble Lady Lace Collars

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of a Noble Lady European School, 18th century oil on canvas, framed framed: 37.5 inches canvas: 30 x 24.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very good ...

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18th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

james Latham18th century antique portrait Edmund Hoyle Circle of James Latham, Edmund Hoyle, 18th century

$3,809Sale Price|20% Off

H 33.08 in W 27.96 in D 1.97 in

18th century antique portrait Edmund Hoyle Circle of James Latham, Edmund Hoyle

Located in York, GB

18th century Bust portrait of a gentleman in a blue coat with gold buttons (Said to be Edmund Hoyle, inventor of Whist) oil on canvas circle of James Latham. Housed in a gilt frame the size overall is 71 x 84 cm (28 x 33 inches approx) whilst the painting is 56 x 69 cm ( 22 x 27 inches approx) unsigned The overall condition is very good having had some restoration. The painting has been relined, cleaned and re varnished. There has been some strengthening/overpainting. There is a Rectangular patch repair along lower edge, centre, reverse approximately 5 x 7cm with associated retouching to front,all essentially done sympathetically. some fine stable craquelure throughout. Some minor self coloured losses to frame. None of the above detracting from a very attractive portrait. Edmond Hoyle Edmond Hoyle English card game authority, "the Father of whist" Born 1672 England Died 29 August 1769 (aged 96–97) London, England Edmond Hoyle (1672 – 29 August 1769)[1] was a writer best known for his works on the rules and play of card games. The phrase "according to Hoyle" came into the language as a reflection of his generally perceived authority on the subject James Latham James Latham was born in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland and possibly related to the family of Lathams of Meldrum and Ballysheehan. After some practice of his art, Latham studied for an academic year in Antwerp (1724–25) where he became a Master of the Guild of St Luke. He returned to Dublin by 1725, and may have visited England in the 1740s, as the influence of Joseph Highmore, as well as Charles Jervas and William Hogarth, is evident in his work of this period. Anthony Pasquin memorably dubbed Latham "Ireland's Van Dyck". Latham died in Dublin on 26 January 1747. Several of James Latham's portraits are in the National Gallery of Ireland collection in Dublin; one is of the famous MP Charles Tottenham (1694–1758) of New Ross, Co. Wexford, "Tottenham in his Boots" (Cat. No.411) and a second is a portrait of Bishop...

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Mid-18th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

Giuseppe Mazzuoli known as Bastarolo (Ferrara 1536 - 1589)Saint Jerome Oil on copper 16th Century Paint Old master Italy Emilian school, 1560-1599

$5,531Sale Price|20% Off

H 11.03 in W 9.45 in

Saint Jerome Oil on copper 16th Century Paint Old master Italy Emilian school

By Giuseppe Mazzuoli known as Bastarolo (Ferrara 1536 - 1589)

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Ferrara school of the late sixteenth century - circle of Giuseppe Mazzuoli known as Bastarolo (Ferrara 1536 - 1589) St. Jerome penitent in the cave ...

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16th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

Tiziano Vecellio (Pieve di Cadore 1490 - Venice 1576)Resurrection Christ Tiziano 16/17th Century paint Oil on canvas Old master Italy, 1580-1680

$7,978Sale Price|20% Off

H 50.79 in W 38.98 in

Resurrection Christ Tiziano 16/17th Century paint Oil on canvas Old master Italy

By Tiziano Vecellio (Pieve di Cadore 1490 - Venice 1576)

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

The Resurrection of Christ Follower of Tiziano Vecellio (Pieve di Cadore 1490 - Venice 1576) Venetian school of the late 16th/early 17th century Oil on canvas 108 x 78 cm. - Framed 129 x 99 cm. This jewel of the Venetian school, a work executed between the 16th and 17th centuries by a Venetian artist, illustrates the episode of the Resurrection of Christ: as reported in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 28:1-7) the event is accompanied by an explosion of light and glow, with the figure of Christ rising into the sky. Christ's face, serene and victorious, looks up towards the Light and the Infinite, in contrast to his majestic figure, here constructed with the appearance of a classical sculpture, contrasted by an intensely luminous background. The Risen One firmly holds in His hand the banner (white with a red cross) of the Resurrection, also known as the flag of St. George, which iconographically represents His victory over death, while raising His right hand in a blessing act. With his feet he crushes a snake and a skull, a sign of Christ's triumph over sin and death. The painting belongs to the Venetian school and presents clear reminiscences with the works of Titian Vecellio...

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17th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oil

Flemish School, 17th CenturyThe Card Players by a Flemish 1600s Artist, 1600s

$2,482

H 8.86 in W 7.88 in

The Card Players by a Flemish 1600s Artist

By Flemish School, 17th Century

Located in Stockholm, SE

Flemish 1600s School The Card Players oil on oak panel panel dimensions 22.5 x 20 cm frame included Provenance: From a Swedish private collection. Condition: Flat and stabl...

Category

17th Century Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Oak, Oil, Panel

Previously Available Items

George Romney18th Century, English Portrait, circa 1790

Sold

H 60 in W 50 in D 3 in

18th Century, English Portrait

By George Romney

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Large, softly painted, oil-on-canvas portrait of a British nobleman from the circle of important English artist, George Romney (1734-1802). The piece ...

Category

Late 18th Century George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

George Romney paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic George Romney paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by George Romney in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 18th century and is mostly associated with the Old Masters style. Not every interior allows for large George Romney paintings, so small editions measuring 25 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Sir Godfrey Kneller, Giulio Di Sotto, and Matthew Cook. George Romney paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $8,855 and tops out at $1,495,000, while the average work can sell for $15,500.

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Questions About George Romney Paintings

When was George Romney a pupil of Christopher Steele?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
George Romney studied under Christopher Steel from 1755-1757. Romney then went on to become one of the most fashionable portrait artists of his day. You can shop a selection of George Romney’s pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.