William Hamilton
Painted Shakespeare scenes and illustrated poems
William Hamilton (1751–1801) was an English painter and illustrator. Hamilton was born in Chelsea, London, but travelled and worked in Italy with Antonio Zucchi for several years. He trained first as an architectural draftsman, but soon moved to theatrical portraits and scenes from plays. Hamilton became an associate member of the Royal Academy from 1784, and was made a full member in 1789. Hamilton became very well known for his paintings depicting episodes from the plays of Shakespeare and for his illustrations of poems. He was commissioned to create works for John Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery, Thomas Macklin's Bible and Robert Bowyer's English History. These were widely reproduced in popular prints.
Artworks by this artist (28 total)
- Hero and Leander 1801
- A Soldier 1770[-]80
- Amymone with a Lecherous Satyr 1770[-]80
- Edwy and Elgiva; A Scene from Saxon History 1793
- John the Baptist and Two Men, with Christ 1770[-]80
- Nature unveils herself to the infant Shakespeare; Thomas Gray, The Progress of Poesy, III.1
- The revelation of Olivia’s betrothal, from ‘Twelfth Night,’ Act V, Scene i ca. 1790
- Celadon and Amelia 1793
- A Prison Scene 1770[-]80
- Historical Subject with Men and a Boy Near a Ship 1770[-]80
- Travellers in Turkey
- John Palmer Whalley
- Male Traveler in a Storm 1770[-]80
- The Abduction of Deianira 1770[-]80
- A King and a Horse with Ghostly Women 1770[-]80
- Leander Taking Leave of Hero Before Swimming Back Across the Hellespont
- Portrait of Sarah Siddons as Zara circa 1784
- Christ and the woman of Samaria 1792
- Envy from Ovid’s ‘House of Envy’ (Book II, lines 760-796) 1770[-]80
- Figures Harvesting