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| Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1790 Lady Lever Art Gallery Liverpool, England |
This unusual portrait in the artist’s characteristic style dates to Le Brun’s later career in Europe. The subject is Lady Hamilton (Emma Hart) who was a beautiful and outgoing working class girl whose friendly personality, good looks and charm made her a popular mistress of many a wealthy and important gentleman. She was shuffled from man to man over decades and ended up the wife of the much older Sir William Hamilton. During her marriage, in order to keep herself busy, she started entertaining her friends with her “attitudes.” These “attitudes” were a series of tableau-like theatrical poses wherein Lady Hamilton dressed as a variety of historical or mythological characters.
This is one of several portraits Le Brun painted of Lady Hamilton in her attitudes. Always an agreeable model, Lady Hamilton sat for a variety of artists.
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Goethe wrote 1787: "Sir William Hamilton, who still resides here as ambassador from England, has at length, after his long love of art and long study, discovered the most perfect of admirers of nature and art in a beautiful young woman. She lives with him,—an English woman about twenty years old. She is very handsome, and of a beautiful figure. The old knight has had made for her a Greek costume, which becomes her extremely. Dressed in this, and letting her hair loose, and taking a couple of shawls, she exhibits every possible variety of posture, expression, and look, so that at the last the spectator almost fancies it is a dream. One beholds here in perfection, in movement, in ravishing variety, all that the greatest of artists have rejoiced to be able to produce. Standing, kneeling, sitting, lying down, grave or sad, playful, exulting, repentant, wanton, menacing, anxious,—all mental states follow rapidly, one after another. With wonderful taste she suits the folding of her veil to each expression, and with the same handkerchief makes every kind of head-dress. The old knight holds the light for her, and enters into the exhibition with his whole soul. He thinks he can discern in her a resemblance to all the most famous antiques, all the beautiful profiles on the Sicilian coins,—ay, of the Apollo Belvedere itself. This much at any rate is certain,—the entertainment is unique. We spent two evenings on it with thorough enjoyment. To-day Tischbein is engaged in painting her."
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