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Nathaniel Dance
Apr. 8th, 2025 08:13 am I like Nathaniel Dance's portrait of Francis Dashwood so much I thought I'd have a look at some of his other work.
I'm not going to pretend he's a great artist, but he could convey character- and in several instances his portraits have become the defining image of their subject.
He was better at men than at women.
And here are two curious facts about him.
1. At a certain point in his career he added acouple of syllables to his name and became Nathaniel Dance-Holland. I don't think it's an improvement. Nathanial Dance is terrific name.
2. And at an even later point in his career he abandoned art to become a politician.....
Anyway, here are some of his pictures.....
This is Lord North- the P.M. who lost us America. Does he look like a world-bestriding statesman? No, he does not. Poor Lord North; he has gone down to posterity as feeble and inadequate- and Dance confirms us in our belittling opinion- those watery eyes, that receding chin, that cupid's bow of a mouth.....
And now two of the men who laid the foundations of the British Empire.
First, Captain James Cook, explorer of Australasia. Doesn't he just look like a born leader! See how he has forgotten to fasten a couple of his waistcoat buttons, suggesting a man substantial enough not to care about appearances.
And then Robert Clive. Clive of India. I grew up in the declining days of Empire and was taught that Clive was a great hero, These days he is more likely to be presented as a great monster. He suffered from depression and ended his life at 49 by sticking a paper knife in his throat. Has Dance painted him as unhappy or am I being wise after the event?
Then Lady Clive- Mary Maskelyne as was- a great heiress and a great beauty. I've said Dance wasn't good at women, but this is an exception. He responds to strength of character- and finds it here . Mary looks as sad as her husband but is made of finer stuff. She likes books, she likes music. And the painting of that shiny dress is a tour de force.
.
Finally, Dance's self-portrait. Intelligent, searching, febrile.....
I'm not going to pretend he's a great artist, but he could convey character- and in several instances his portraits have become the defining image of their subject.
He was better at men than at women.
And here are two curious facts about him.
1. At a certain point in his career he added acouple of syllables to his name and became Nathaniel Dance-Holland. I don't think it's an improvement. Nathanial Dance is terrific name.
2. And at an even later point in his career he abandoned art to become a politician.....
Anyway, here are some of his pictures.....
This is Lord North- the P.M. who lost us America. Does he look like a world-bestriding statesman? No, he does not. Poor Lord North; he has gone down to posterity as feeble and inadequate- and Dance confirms us in our belittling opinion- those watery eyes, that receding chin, that cupid's bow of a mouth.....
And now two of the men who laid the foundations of the British Empire.
First, Captain James Cook, explorer of Australasia. Doesn't he just look like a born leader! See how he has forgotten to fasten a couple of his waistcoat buttons, suggesting a man substantial enough not to care about appearances.
And then Robert Clive. Clive of India. I grew up in the declining days of Empire and was taught that Clive was a great hero, These days he is more likely to be presented as a great monster. He suffered from depression and ended his life at 49 by sticking a paper knife in his throat. Has Dance painted him as unhappy or am I being wise after the event?
Then Lady Clive- Mary Maskelyne as was- a great heiress and a great beauty. I've said Dance wasn't good at women, but this is an exception. He responds to strength of character- and finds it here . Mary looks as sad as her husband but is made of finer stuff. She likes books, she likes music. And the painting of that shiny dress is a tour de force.
.
Finally, Dance's self-portrait. Intelligent, searching, febrile.....
