Nathaniel Dance was a British portrait painter who gave up painting in favor of politics
Nathaniel Dance-Holland was an artist who created important works, but rarely appears in the general history books and is relegated to a supporting role. He is also only rarely or incidentally mentioned in collections about artists.
On the life of Nathaniel Dance-Holland
Dance was born the third son of the architect George Dances Elder. He studied with Francis Hayman and continued his studies in Italy, partly with his brother George Dance the Younger. Many of his historical paintings were created in Rome.
Exhibition of the Society of Arts at Kenwood, London (1762)
Up until his exhibition at Kenwood, Dance was best known as a painter in references made by English tourists to Rome in the early 1760s.
In addition to portraits of King George III, he received many commissions, such as from the navigator James Cook and actor David Garrick.
The paintings on display at Kenwood make it clear that Dance was more than just an artist, he didn't just want to bring color to the canvas.
He created a few works that differed from the usual style of his time. These include the portrait of Angelica Kauffmann (1764), the conversation piece by Hugh, Lord Warkworth, later 2nd Duke of Northumberland, and the Reverend Jonathan Lippyatt, and the work of Garrick as Richard III
After returning to London in 1766, he established himself as a fashionable portrait painter. Like his brother George, Dance became a founding member of the Royal Academy and sent portraits of George III. and Queen Charlotte to the inaugural exhibition in 1769.
Unfortunately, only a few of his history paintings have survived. His most famous work was "Timon of Athens" (1767), which was also exhibited and commissioned by George III. was bought.
The failure of his art was not due to the motif but to the style
Dance's portraits from the late 1760s and 1770s reflect the style of Cotes, the intellectual gravitas of Reynolds, the brilliance of Gainsborough and the gentleness of Ramsay reflect a vain attempt to keep up with these artists.
He was given the opportunity to transform important people into works, but he did not succeed as well as his role models.
Fortunately, his works have survived as contemporary witnesses to the fact that there was not only room for white lace under noblemen.
Dance married Harriet in 1790, daughter of Cecil Bishopp and widow of Thomas Dummer, who died in 1781, both Members of Parliament. By 1776 Dance had already given up exhibiting professionally and gave up his painting in favor of his work in politics. A few political drawings were also created on the side. These works from the 1780s show a more private side of Dance's art, full of verve and bordering on caricature. [1]
Out of respect for a certain Charlotte Holland of Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, Nathaniel Dance added "Dance-Holland" to his family name. [2]
Nathaniel Dance-Holland & Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough had very specific ideas about how his paintings had to be hung so that their effect and colors were at their best. It wasn't just the incidence of light that was important to him, but also, for example, the height for the personal perspective.
From 1772 onwards, a special community flourished between the artists Gainsborough and Dance. After an exhibition in 1772, Gainsborough could not come to terms with Joshua Reynolds and there was talk of a dispute with the Royal Academy. As a result, both artists went on strike and neither made their works available for the forthcoming exhibition in 1773.
Although the Royal Aademy Gainsborough committee pledged everything, whatever the terms, the latter boycotted the exhibitions until 1777, while Dance returned from 1774. [2] [3]
From 1790 until his death in 1811, Nathaniel Dance-Holland worked as a Member of Parliament of Great Britain (from 1801 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom). He never left any descendants.
References:
[1] Article: Gainsborough and Dance at Kenwood
Author: John Sunderland
The Burlington Magazine, (Aug., 1977)
Published by Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd.
[2] berkshirehistory.com
[3] Thomas Gainsborough biography, by William T. Whitley 1915, printed in London
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