George Romney - Lady Emma Hamilton, as Cassandra

Title: Lady Emma Hamilton, as Cassandra
Artist: George Romney (1734-1802)
Date: 2nd halfp of XVIIIth century
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: Circular with 64 cm diameter

The life of Emma Lady Hamilton was a remarkable journey, propelled by her captivating beauty and vibrant personality. From her humble beginnings as the daughter of an illiterate blacksmith, she ascended to prominence as the mistress and later wife of Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803), a distinguished diplomat, antiquarian, collector, and vulcanologist serving as the King's Minister Plenipotentiary at the Bourbon Court in Naples. Later, she would capture the heart of the celebrated naval hero, Lord Horatio Nelson, ultimately becoming his mistress.

Emma's allure not only captivated Hamilton and Nelson but also inspired the imagination of many leading artists of the era, none more so than Romney. In his portrait, Romney portrays Lady Hamilton as Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy in Greek mythology. Cassandra's unparalleled beauty earned her the gift of prophecy from the God Apollo. However, when she spurned Apollo's advances, he cursed her so that her prophecies would never be believed.

Through the portrayal of Cassandra, Romney skillfully captures the complex blend of understanding and powerlessness inherent in the tragic human condition. Emma Lady Hamilton's life, marked by extraordinary highs and devastating lows, mirrors the timeless narrative of Cassandra, embodying both the allure of beauty and the burden of fate.