Open full image Pin

Copy after William Hamilton's design for a painted panel in the Saloon of Kedleston Hall

William Hamilton

1789

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Rococo painting Romanticism 18th Century

Dominant colour

Copy after William Hamilton's design for a painted panel in the Saloon of Kedleston Hall is a 1789 watercolor by William Hamilton, a Rococo painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William Hamilton
When & what style?: 1789 · Rococo painting
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a group of people in a courtyard. Some are dressed in traditional Middle Eastern clothing, while others wear more Western attire. In the background, there's a large building with arches and domes. The scene is full of life, with people interacting with each other and their surroundings. The artist has used watercolor to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. If you're interested in learning more about this style of art, you might want to explore the Romanticism movement.

The story of this work

Overview

This drawing is a copy after a design by William Hamilton for a painted panel intended for the Saloon at Kedleston Hall, part of a series of four sketches Hamilton created around 1768. Though the depicted scene—a merchant or wealthy visitor arriving at a port and being introduced to a group of women, possibly including female slaves—does not match Hamilton’s sketch exactly, it appears related to the series. The original panels were likely never executed, and this copy reflects the common practice of reproducing interior decoration designs in the period. Another version of the drawing was…

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

William Hamilton

William Hamilton painted actors and scenes from plays in the late 1700s. His real paintings include Sarah Siddons as Jane Shore and a Twelfth Night scene with Maria, Olivia, and Viola. He also made a watercolor copy of…

See the richer artist page