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, Irish, 1740-1808
Title
Self-Portrait
Datec.1791
MediumPastel and graphite on paper
Dimensions
22.5 x 17 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1998
Object numberNGI.19554
DescriptionMaria Luisa Bourbon, the Queen Regent of Tuscany bequeathed Hamilton's self portrait to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence in 1805. It hung in the famous Gallery of Artists' Self Portraits. Hamilton executed the second self portrait, dated c.1791, shortly after his return from Rome. Here he presents himself in a notably less formal guise and engages the viewer with a good humoured gaze. The visible pink and green tones, used to provide a foundation for subsequent layers of pigment to model the flesh, suggest that the drawing may be unfinished.