Who painted The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton?

The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton was painted by Pietro Antonio Novelli.

Where can I see The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton?

The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton?

The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton

Pietro Antonio Novelli

The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Pietro Antonio Novelli. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Pietro Antonio Novelli’s drawing, titled *The Attitudes of Lady Hamilton*, was executed in 1791. Rendered with pen and brown ink on laid paper, the work consists of a series of seven figures rendered in swift, gestural lines. The composition presents a single female form repeated in varied poses, exploring movement and the play of drapery without the use of colour.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a woman—identified with the celebrated actress and muse Lady Hamilton—shown in a succession of standing, kneeling and reclining positions. By repeating the same figure in different attitudes, Novelli emphasizes the fluidity of gesture and the expressive potential of the human body, echoing the contemporary fascination with theatrical performance and the art of pose.

Technique & Style

Novelli employs rapid, loose pen strokes, allowing the ink to suggest the contours of flesh and the flow of fabric through minimal line work. Cross‑hatching builds tonal depth, while the scratchy, sketch‑like quality conveys immediacy, as if the artist were capturing fleeting movements rather than producing a finished illustration.

History & Provenance

Created in the late eighteenth century, the drawing reflects the period’s interest in studies of the human figure for both artistic training and popular culture. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work is attributed to Novelli, an Italian painter and draftsman active in Venice and Rome, known for his portraiture and genre scenes.