Westmorland In 1757, Romney rejoined his wife and young son in
Kendal, working as a portraitist, landscape and historical painter. In this period he became friends with
Adam Walker, the inventor and writer, and also pursued musical interests in his spare time. In March 1762, he parted from his wife, son and daughter (the latter dying in 1763), to seek his fortune in
London, where he stayed (apart from a few return visits to Cumbria) until 1799. Throughout the separation, he maintained contact with his family and financially supported them, but they never lived with him in the capital.
London In 1763, Romney entered his painting,
The Death of General Wolfe, into a
Royal Society of Arts competition. According to friends of Romney, he was awarded the second prize of 50
guineas, but this was later reduced to 25 guineas on questionable grounds. It is said that Sir
Joshua Reynolds himself was the prime mover behind this decision, which may have accounted for the lifelong aversion of the two men for each other. Despite his later success, Romney was never invited to join the
Royal Academy of Arts (formed 1768), though he was asked, urged even, to exhibit there – nor did he ever apply to join. This decision certainly cost him valuable royal patronage and support from others connected at court. While there has been much speculation about his actual relationship with the academy, there is no doubt that he normally remained aloof, maintaining that a good artist should succeed without being a member. His own career supported this belief, and it was only towards the end of his life that he expressed the slightest regret for his views. His early years in the capital were something of a financial struggle . In September 1764, he travelled to
Paris (with a friend, lawyer Thomas Greene) for a few weeks to study the works of the old masters (travel abroad was seen as a requisite of a developing artist's training as the opportunity to view great art in London was very limited). In 1765 he again won the second prize of 50 guineas in the Royal Society of Arts competition. In 1768, he made the acquaintance of
Richard Cumberland, the dramatist, whose portrait he painted, and who was helpful in introducing him to influential patrons. He also became friends with miniature painter
Ozias Humphrey. 1769 was a breakthrough year – he exhibited a large portrait of Sir
George Warren and family at the Free Society of Artists, which was greatly admired and helped to lay the foundations of his future popularity. In 1770 he started to exhibit his work at the
Chartered Society of Artists rather the rival "Free Society of Artists".
Italy By 1772 Romney was financially secure enough to make the journey (with
Ozias Humphry) to Italy to study the great artists of the past, as he had always intended. He set off in March, making his way through Europe (via Paris,
Lyon,
Marseille,
Nice,
Genoa,
Livorno,
Florence and
Pisa) and arriving in Rome in June. A letter of introduction allowed him to meet the Pope,
Clement XIV, who allowed him to set up scaffolding in the
Apostolic Palace to study the frescoes of
Raphael. He spent 18 months in Rome making studies and sketches of the great art works on view there. He returned to London in July 1775 (via
Florence,
Bologna,
Venice,
Parma, and
Turin) after an absence of over 2 years.
Later career , painted in 1786 by George Romney. Sold at
Christie's London on 13 July 1913, purchased by the dealers
Duveen Brothers of New York for 40,000 guineas ($206,850), then a record price for any work of art sold in London. Now at the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. On his return, in 1775, Romney moved to
Cavendish Square, in a house formerly owned by noted portraitist
Francis Cotes. He was considerably in debt, not only on his own account but also due to being saddled with the debt of his artistic but dissolute brother Peter. However, he was offered commissions by
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and his circle of friends, which helped turn the tide of fortune permanently in the artist's favour. In 1776–77, he made the acquaintance of
William Hayley, striking up a lasting friendship with the writer, and painting portraits for him. 1782 was the beginning of an important new chapter in Romney's life, for in that year he was first introduced to
Emma Hamilton (then called Emma Hart) who became his muse. He painted more than 60 portraits of her in various poses, sometimes playing the part of historical or mythological figures. He also painted many other contemporaries, including fellow artist
Mary Moser and, in 1787, a little-known seventeen-year old young lady in one of his most charming works,
Miss Constable in a Bergère Hat. In 1797 Romney left his studio at 32 Cavendish Square, where he had worked for more than twenty years, to move to
Holly Bush Hill in
Hampstead. In Hampstead Romney embarked on a series of costly building projects, and sold the house two years later.
Romney's House is now a Grade I listed building, and Romney is commemorated by a blue plaque placed on the property. In the summer of 1799, his health was broken, and after an absence of almost forty years, Romney returned to his wife, Mary, in
Kendal. She nursed him during the remaining 2 years of his life until he died in November 1802. He was buried in the churchyard of
St Mary's Church, Dalton-in-Furness. ==Public collections of works==