Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1981.25.541
Gallery Label:
It has been suggested that this early work is a self-portrait. A passionate violin player, Romney crafted stringed instruments in his youth and found himself torn between a career in painting or music. When he became a painter, music remained central to his creative life, and he often played his violin while pondering his paintings. As his son later wrote, "The two arts conspired, and the harmony of the picture was improved by the harmony of the music." Gallery label for Romney: Brilliant Contrasts in Georgian England (Yale University Art Gallery, 2025-03-28 - 2025-09-14)
