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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.

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Artist: George Romney
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

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 ...
Category

1970s Old Masters George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Lady, Oil on canvas, 18th English Century Painting
By George Romney
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas Image size: 22 x 20 inches (22.75 x 51 cm) Pierced gilt frame 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. It is possible that this sitter is Miss Anne Dutton. 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...
Category

18th Century George Romney Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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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.
Questions About George Romney Paintings
  • 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.

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