Gavin Hamilton (artist)

Gavin Hamilton ( * 1723 in Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland, † January 4, 1798 in Rome) was a Scottish historical and portrait painter, archaeologist and art dealer. As a painter, he is considered a founder of classicism.

Life

He came from an aristocratic family of the Hamiltons on Murdieston ( Lanarkshire ). He studied Greek at the University of Glasgow. Since 1748, he studied and then lived in Rome, where Agostino Masucci ( 1690-1768 ) was his teacher. In the years 1752-1754 he returned, however, back shortly to England and Scotland.

In Rome he was a member of the Academy of English Professor of the Liberal Arts. In addition, he was greeted with Thomas Jenkins on February 2, 1761 at the Accademia di San Luca as Accademici di Merito. His historical paintings are considered the first of the emerging classicism. For the British aristocracy, he painted portraits. He was also involved in the murals in the Villa Borghese.

In the years 1764-1767, the Scottish painter and illustrator David Allan was ( 1744-1796 ) one of his students. At Hamilton's circle of acquaintances included, inter alia, Anton Raphael Mengs and Johann Joachim Winckelmann and the young Angelica Kauffmann.

Hamilton participated in 1769 at the archaeological site of Hadrian's Villa of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and was also involved in excavations in parts of the Via Appia and in Ostia Antica. He is regarded as the most successful antiques excavator of the second half of the century.

Hamilton is considered one of the most prominent among all the artists and collectors in Europe in the 18th century. Although he had actually come to Rome to improve his talent as a painter and to enhance your knowledge about the ancient world, he soon found himself in the circle of variety of British traveler again, who attended on her fashionable Grand Tour Italy to either a collection build up of works of art or antique finds or there to increase their collection. It was therefore quite easy for Hamilton to start a relevant art trade. Over time, this trade to his main job, which he eventually made ​​his name in the art world was. He had contacts with the famous art collectors. Today such famous works of art such as Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks (National Gallery, London), Domenico Tintoretto The Adoration of the Shepherds ( Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge ) and Salvator Rosa Pythagoras ( Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth) used to go through his hands.

Publications

• As Publisher: Schola Italica Picturae, 41 engravings, Rome 1773