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.
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 ...
Oil, Canvas
$9,000
H 40 in W 30 in
Rebel - Oil on Canvas Figurative Painting, 40h x 30w in, Signed, 2026
By Bruno Surdo
Located in Chicago, IL
A contemporary cowboy is rendered with the gravity of a classical male nude. Surdo treats the body with the care of an Old Master while layering in the mythology of American masculin...
Canvas, Oil
$21,583
H 31.89 in W 25.6 in D 0.4 in
18th century French Old Master Portrait of a woman in oriental costume
Located in Aartselaar, BE
French 18th century old master portrait of a majestic lady dressed "à la Turque" The sitter at the viewer with a kind and enigmatic smile and twinkling eyes. She looks elegant and kind, yet also has an intelligent and determined aura, reflecting the character of someone who is in charge of her own life and destiny. De Silvestre paid great attention to her spectacular outfit, which is striking in its portrayal of the sumptuous fabrics and their decorative richness. She is wearing a luxurious royal blue robe à la...
Canvas, Oil
$8,166
H 23.94 in W 35.75 in D 5.91 in
19th Century Historical English Painting David Wilkie
By Sir David Wilkie
Located in Roma, IT
Sir David Wilkie RA (18 November 1785 – 1 June 1841) “The Parish Beadle” Oil on canvas Although unsigned, this beautiful painting is undoubtedly an original work by David Wilkye as...
Canvas, Oil
$3,950
H 27.5 in W 19.5 in
19th century English Portrait of a Young boy in a Cavalier costume
Located in Woodbury, CT
This elegant English 19th-century portrait of a young boy dressed in a Cavalier costume, painted circa 1860, is a striking example of Victorian portraiture that seamlessly combines h...
Canvas, Oil
$6,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 19 in W 14.25 in D 3 in
18th Century European Portrait of an Angel, Oil on Canvas
Located in SANTA FE, NM
18th Century European Portrait of an Angel, Oil on Canvas Unsigned 19 x 14 1/4 inches This lovely and sensitively painting has been examined by a professional restorer who was forme...
Canvas, Oil
$2,450
H 3.5 in W 3 in
18th century German or Austrian portrait of a noble lady with coat of Arms
Located in Woodbury, CT
18th Century German or Austrian School, Portrait of a Lady with Coat of Arms, Original Frame, Circa 1780 Not signed A refined and highly decorative late 18th-century Continental por...
Canvas, Oil
$1,250
H 30.25 in W 30.25 in D 2.5 in
19th c Oil Painting, Madonna Della Seggiola
By (after) Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino)
Located in Milford, NH
A fine 19th century painting of Madonna and child with St. John, known as “Madonna Della Seggiola,” after the famous original oil painting by Raphael circa 1512, unsigned, and housed...
Canvas, Oil
$6,416
H 37.8 in W 30.71 in
17th-Century Flemish Oil - Saint Barbara, A Symbol of Protection and Resilience
Located in Aartselaar, BE
17th century Flemish School, Saint Barbara This accomplished 17th-century Flemish oil painting depicts Saint Barbara, shown as a serene and powerful woman dressed in a luminous red gown, set against a warm, atmospheric background and proudly holding her traditional attribute; a tower. The invention of the present composition stems from 17th century Antwerp and was likely drawn by Theodoor van Thulden...
Canvas, Oil
$2,450
H 3.5 in W 3 in
18th century German or Austrian portrait of a cleric with coat of arms
Located in Woodbury, CT
18th Century Austrian or South German School Portrait of a Cleric Holding a Book Oil on canvas, circa 1780 Presented in its original carved giltwood frame Not Signed A most engaging...
Canvas, Oil
$6,000
H 24 in W 36 in
Grayscale Portrait of an Elderly Woman on Pink Background with Gold Accents
By Bruno Surdo
Located in Chicago, IL
This painting, Belief, distills Bruno Surdo’s larger concerns into a single, commanding image. The seated elder figure, cropped so that the face is only partially visible, becomes le...
Canvas, Oil
$6,972Sale Price|25% Off
H 24 in W 20 in
Fine Pair 1700's Portraits of Moorish Prince and Princess in Carved Wood Frames
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Circle of Jean Baptiste Vanmour (French, 1671–1737) Portraits of a Moorish Prince and Princess c. 1700 Pair of oil paintings on canvas, unsigned framed in carved gilt wood frames D...
Canvas, Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 36 in
Answer Within, Oil on Canvas Painting, Old Masters Style, 21st Century
By Emmanuel Ojebola
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Painting Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, this is not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gallery)
Oil, Canvas