Overview of Gavin Hamilton

Painter. Born in Lanark and educated at the University of Glasgow, Hamilton was perhaps the most internationally successful Scottish artist of the 18th century, but he was never well-known at home. He spent time in Italy during the 1740s. He then spent some years in London as a portrait painter but returned to Rome in 1756 to spend the remainder of his life there. Hamilton's works were large neo-classical subjects, much influenced by his interests in archaeology. He was also an early international art dealer. He died in Rome.