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Lot Essay
Arthur Hill (1753-1801) was the son of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718-1793), who was a Privy Councillor in England and Ireland, and his first wife, Margaretta, daughter of Robert Fitzgerald, Earl of Kildare. In June 1786 Arthur Hill married Mary, Baroness Sandys, daughter of the Hon. Martyn Sandys, and his wife Mary, daughter of William Trumbull of East Hampstead Park, Berkshire. Their seat was Hillsborough Castle, County Down a large rambling late-Georgian mansion built by Arthur Hill's father, the 1st Marquess.
As well as his main title of Marquess of Downshire, Hill was also Earl of Hillsborough, Viscount Fairford and Baron Harwich (English titles), and Viscount Hillsborough, Viscount Kilwarlin and Baron Hill (Irish titles).
The present pastel has been dated to 1785-90 and is one of the finest examples of the artist's work on this large scale. The young Marquess leans nonchalantly on his cane before a large tree. The gold and white hues of the Marquess' elegant costume contrasting vividly with the overgrown tree behind.
Hamilton was the most distinguished pastellist from the Dublin Society Schools, where he studied in 1750-6. He secured many prizes for his draughtsmanship while a student and continued to pursue a successful career as a portraitist in Dublin until 1764/5, when he moved to London. At this stage in his career he was best known for his small oval portraits. Once Hamilton was established in London, his popularity increased considerably: between 1762 and 1775 he executed 46 portraits and is recorded as having been able to charge the not inconsiderable sum of 9 guineas for each drawing.
In 1778 Hamilton followed the migration of his well-heeled sitters to Rome, where he painted many British visitors and brought the full-length portrait in pastel to a new height. A number of these large-scale pastels have come to light in recent years, including The 5th Earl of Guildford (A. Croockshank and the Knight of Glin, The Watercolours of Ireland. Works on paper in pencil, c.1600-1914 London, 1994, pl. 82) and of course his masterpiece of the Roman years, Henry Tresham and Canova looking at a study for Canova's Cupid and Psyche, see fig. 1 (ibid., pl. 84, illustrated in colour).
Before his tour of Italy very few full-length portraits by the artist are known. The format was used much more frequently after his arrival in Rome. His pastel of Mr. William Milbank in front of the Temple of Vespasian in the National Gallery of Ireland (see A. Crookshank and The Knight of Glin, 1997, p. 64), is a similar example where the sitter is depicted in a Roman setting. Crookshank and the Knight of Glin compare both pastels with the Grand Tour portraits of Pompeo Batoni (1707-1787). Hamilton would certainly have become familiar with these on his arrival in Rome. In the Irish Arts Review Yearbook the present portrait is described as 'a very striking portrait' and Hill is described as suffering mild annoyance at a mishap with his four horses and coach or travelling Berlin seen in the distance.
Hamilton also executed small oval portraits of the sitter's parents, the 1st Marquess and his wife, see Christie's, London, 8 July 1910 lot 22 (65 gns. to Wertheimer). His sons also sat to Sir Thomas Lawrence.
This pastel is from the Thursby-Pelham Collection, built up at the height of the 'Duveen' fashion for portraits of aristocratic subjects before and after the First World War. James Thursby-Pelham was an acknowledged expert on early English furniture, and his house at 55 Cadogan Gardens was filled with treasures. Thirty-one pastels from this collection were sold at Christie's, London, 7 November 1995 lots 39-70 and a further group will be sold on 28 November 2000 lots 17-21.
As well as his main title of Marquess of Downshire, Hill was also Earl of Hillsborough, Viscount Fairford and Baron Harwich (English titles), and Viscount Hillsborough, Viscount Kilwarlin and Baron Hill (Irish titles).
The present pastel has been dated to 1785-90 and is one of the finest examples of the artist's work on this large scale. The young Marquess leans nonchalantly on his cane before a large tree. The gold and white hues of the Marquess' elegant costume contrasting vividly with the overgrown tree behind.
Hamilton was the most distinguished pastellist from the Dublin Society Schools, where he studied in 1750-6. He secured many prizes for his draughtsmanship while a student and continued to pursue a successful career as a portraitist in Dublin until 1764/5, when he moved to London. At this stage in his career he was best known for his small oval portraits. Once Hamilton was established in London, his popularity increased considerably: between 1762 and 1775 he executed 46 portraits and is recorded as having been able to charge the not inconsiderable sum of 9 guineas for each drawing.
In 1778 Hamilton followed the migration of his well-heeled sitters to Rome, where he painted many British visitors and brought the full-length portrait in pastel to a new height. A number of these large-scale pastels have come to light in recent years, including The 5th Earl of Guildford (A. Croockshank and the Knight of Glin, The Watercolours of Ireland. Works on paper in pencil, c.1600-1914 London, 1994, pl. 82) and of course his masterpiece of the Roman years, Henry Tresham and Canova looking at a study for Canova's Cupid and Psyche, see fig. 1 (ibid., pl. 84, illustrated in colour).
Before his tour of Italy very few full-length portraits by the artist are known. The format was used much more frequently after his arrival in Rome. His pastel of Mr. William Milbank in front of the Temple of Vespasian in the National Gallery of Ireland (see A. Crookshank and The Knight of Glin, 1997, p. 64), is a similar example where the sitter is depicted in a Roman setting. Crookshank and the Knight of Glin compare both pastels with the Grand Tour portraits of Pompeo Batoni (1707-1787). Hamilton would certainly have become familiar with these on his arrival in Rome. In the Irish Arts Review Yearbook the present portrait is described as 'a very striking portrait' and Hill is described as suffering mild annoyance at a mishap with his four horses and coach or travelling Berlin seen in the distance.
Hamilton also executed small oval portraits of the sitter's parents, the 1st Marquess and his wife, see Christie's, London, 8 July 1910 lot 22 (65 gns. to Wertheimer). His sons also sat to Sir Thomas Lawrence.
This pastel is from the Thursby-Pelham Collection, built up at the height of the 'Duveen' fashion for portraits of aristocratic subjects before and after the First World War. James Thursby-Pelham was an acknowledged expert on early English furniture, and his house at 55 Cadogan Gardens was filled with treasures. Thirty-one pastels from this collection were sold at Christie's, London, 7 November 1995 lots 39-70 and a further group will be sold on 28 November 2000 lots 17-21.