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Lot Essay
Hamilton's portrait of Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess of Downshire, is one of his most accomplished and important pastels to remain in a private collection.
The present drawing has been dated to circa 1785-90 on the basis of its stylistic similarity to other large-scale glamorous portrait pastels executed by Hamilton of Grand Tourists in Italy during this period, when he is considered to have been at the height of his powers as a portraitist. At a time when travel was slow and expensive, and therefore only enjoyed by the wealthy upper-classes, the Grand Tour provided young men with an opportunity to travel across Europe visiting the most famous landmarks and cultural attractions of the classical world, commissioning paintings from living artists and collecting sculptures and other 'ancient' objects to be shipped back and displayed at home. Many contemporary British artists recognised the possibilities that could be found through this patronage, and like Hamilton spent time living in Italian cities executing portraits of the young men, or, like Richard Wilson, travelling with them and recording the sites as a record of their expeditions.
Hamilton is thought to have left Dublin for Italy in 1779 and by 1792 the Hamilton family certainly moved to Florence in 1783 where they remained for a number of years and during this period Hamilton became a member of the Florence Academy. The Hamiltons are known to have lived at an address in the Rome by 1792.
In Rome, through James Byres (1734-1817), a Scottish architect, Hamilton received many introductions to important patrons. His most important commission, while living in Rome, is Canova and Henry Tresham looking at Canova's Cupid and Psyche (see fig. 1, c. 1788-9, Victoria & Albert Museum, London). This and the present pastel are fine examples of works by Hamilton that Crookshank and the Knight of Glin described when they wrote 'The simplicity of the setting, the gravity of the composition shows that Rome, its antiquities, and its contemporary neo-classical artists had all profoundly affected the development of Hamilton's art' (Irish Review, op. cit., p. 69).
In the present portrait the young Marquess of Downshire leans casually on his cane before a large tree, the gold and white hues of the Marquess' elegant costume contrasting vividly with the overgrown tree behind. To the left in the background can be seen a groom fastening the horses to the carriage, just visible in the far right of the drawing. Towering above the figures looms a monumental triumphal arch, the smooth surface of the stone contrasting with the intricately painted tree that stands before it.
Arthur Hill (1753-1801), was the son of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718-1793) and a Privy Councillor in England and Ireland, and his first wife, Margaretta, daughter of Robert Fitzgerald, 19th Earl of Kildare (1675-1744). In June 1786 Arthur Hill married Mary, Baroness Sandys, daughter of the Hon. Martyn Sandys, and together they moved into Hillsborough Castle in County Down, a large rambling late-Georgian mansion built by Arthur Hill's father. He was a Member of Parliament for County Down (1776-1793), and for Malmesbury (1780-1784). After his father's death in 1793 Hill spent the majority of his time in England, only crossing the Irish Sea in 1801 to exert his political interest against the proposed Union, an action for which he was punished by the government who removed his governorship of County Down and colonelcy of its militia.
The present pastel is recorded as having been in the collection of James Augustine Harvey Thursby-Pelham. At the time of the Christie's sale in 1910 the pastel was accompanied by a pendant portrait of Hill's wife, Mary Sandys, bought together by Asher Wertheimer, a prominent London art dealer whose portrait by John Singer Sargent (1898) is now in Tate Britain. At some point the portraits were separated and the portrait of Mary is now lost. A leading expert in early English furniture, Thursby-Pelham filled his house at 55 Cadogan Gardens with fine works of art. He served as an advisor to Queen Mary, but when she realised he would not part with what he claimed were heirlooms, she ceased visiting him, though she continued to rely on his advice. Much of his collection of drawings was acquired from Pawsey & Payne of Bury Street. His daily routine included walking there from 55 Cadogan Gardens, browsing through their drawings, lunching at his club, and walking home again. His collection, much of which has passed through these Rooms, included a small pastel portrait by Hamilton of Antonio Canova probably executed at a similar time to the present pastel while Hamilton was in Rome (9½ x 7 in., sold in these Rooms, 7 November 1995, lot 49), and also works by other leading pastellists such as Daniel Gardner (1750-1805), John Russell, R.A. (1745-1806) and John Hoppner, R.A. (1758-1810).
The present drawing has been dated to circa 1785-90 on the basis of its stylistic similarity to other large-scale glamorous portrait pastels executed by Hamilton of Grand Tourists in Italy during this period, when he is considered to have been at the height of his powers as a portraitist. At a time when travel was slow and expensive, and therefore only enjoyed by the wealthy upper-classes, the Grand Tour provided young men with an opportunity to travel across Europe visiting the most famous landmarks and cultural attractions of the classical world, commissioning paintings from living artists and collecting sculptures and other 'ancient' objects to be shipped back and displayed at home. Many contemporary British artists recognised the possibilities that could be found through this patronage, and like Hamilton spent time living in Italian cities executing portraits of the young men, or, like Richard Wilson, travelling with them and recording the sites as a record of their expeditions.
Hamilton is thought to have left Dublin for Italy in 1779 and by 1792 the Hamilton family certainly moved to Florence in 1783 where they remained for a number of years and during this period Hamilton became a member of the Florence Academy. The Hamiltons are known to have lived at an address in the Rome by 1792.
In Rome, through James Byres (1734-1817), a Scottish architect, Hamilton received many introductions to important patrons. His most important commission, while living in Rome, is Canova and Henry Tresham looking at Canova's Cupid and Psyche (see fig. 1, c. 1788-9, Victoria & Albert Museum, London). This and the present pastel are fine examples of works by Hamilton that Crookshank and the Knight of Glin described when they wrote 'The simplicity of the setting, the gravity of the composition shows that Rome, its antiquities, and its contemporary neo-classical artists had all profoundly affected the development of Hamilton's art' (Irish Review, op. cit., p. 69).
In the present portrait the young Marquess of Downshire leans casually on his cane before a large tree, the gold and white hues of the Marquess' elegant costume contrasting vividly with the overgrown tree behind. To the left in the background can be seen a groom fastening the horses to the carriage, just visible in the far right of the drawing. Towering above the figures looms a monumental triumphal arch, the smooth surface of the stone contrasting with the intricately painted tree that stands before it.
Arthur Hill (1753-1801), was the son of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718-1793) and a Privy Councillor in England and Ireland, and his first wife, Margaretta, daughter of Robert Fitzgerald, 19
The present pastel is recorded as having been in the collection of James Augustine Harvey Thursby-Pelham. At the time of the Christie's sale in 1910 the pastel was accompanied by a pendant portrait of Hill's wife, Mary Sandys, bought together by Asher Wertheimer, a prominent London art dealer whose portrait by John Singer Sargent (1898) is now in Tate Britain. At some point the portraits were separated and the portrait of Mary is now lost. A leading expert in early English furniture, Thursby-Pelham filled his house at 55 Cadogan Gardens with fine works of art. He served as an advisor to Queen Mary, but when she realised he would not part with what he claimed were heirlooms, she ceased visiting him, though she continued to rely on his advice. Much of his collection of drawings was acquired from Pawsey & Payne of Bury Street. His daily routine included walking there from 55 Cadogan Gardens, browsing through their drawings, lunching at his club, and walking home again. His collection, much of which has passed through these Rooms, included a small pastel portrait by Hamilton of Antonio Canova probably executed at a similar time to the present pastel while Hamilton was in Rome (9½ x 7 in., sold in these Rooms, 7 November 1995, lot 49), and also works by other leading pastellists such as Daniel Gardner (1750-1805), John Russell, R.A. (1745-1806) and John Hoppner, R.A. (1758-1810).