This collection of writings by specialists from many disciplines explores a wide range of topics relating to English painter George Romney (1734–1802). The contributors to the book address not only Romney’s personality and artistic practice, but also aspects of the cultural context of his work, such as its relation to theater and its diffusion through prints. Key essays discuss the central themes of the artist’s work, his rivalry with Sir Joshua Reynolds, and his painting technique. Alex Kidson offers in the introduction a survey of previous writings about Romney and their impact on the artist’s reputation two centuries after his death.



Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art