Lady Hamilton as Cassandra 1786

George Romney painted this oil on canvas portrait, Lady Hamilton as Cassandra, sometime in the late 18th century. The painting depicts Emma Hamilton, a celebrated socialite, actress, and mistress of Lord Nelson, in the guise of Cassandra, the mythological figure cursed to foresee the future but never be believed. Romney’s choice of subject matter taps into a cultural fascination with classical antiquity, prevalent among the British elite of that era. At the same time, the artist's decision to portray a contemporary woman in this role infuses the mythological with the immediacy of celebrity culture. The image creates meaning through its visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The artist uses dramatic lighting and emotive expression to convey Cassandra's distress and the tragedy of her unheeded warnings. Romney's choice to depict Hamilton as Cassandra raises questions about the social position of women in the late 18th century, and about the role of artists in shaping public perceptions. The interpretation of art is always contingent on social and institutional context. To understand this painting better, we might consult contemporary accounts of Emma Hamilton, Romney's artistic biography, and studies of 18th-century British portraiture.