A MINATURE PRINTED AND PAINTED PORTRAIT OF LADY HAMILTON

Emma Hamilton was born in modest circumstances in a mining village in Cheshire. 'Sponsored' by Charles Greville, she was introduced to George Romney, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Benjamin West, Richard Cosway and Angelica Kauffman. After four years together, Greville passed Emma on to his middle-aged uncle, Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, in exchange for debts and they married in 1791. Emma's 'attitudes' bought her fame at the Court in Naples, and it was here that her legendary affair with Nelson began.