George Henry Harlow RA 1787-1819

Born and raised in London, George Henry Harlow entered Thomas Lawrence's studio in 1803.  He possessed a power of rapid observation and his portraits, though much in the manner and style of Lawrence, have a strong character of their own. Though openly opposed to the Royal Academy, he was a candidate for the dignity of academician, but he only received the vote of Fuseli. He exhibited for the first time at the Academy in 1804.

In 1818 Harlow traveled to Italy. In Rome his accomplishments and remarkable powers of execution made him the hero of the day. He was fêted and flattered in every direction; Canova was especially impressed, and organised an introduction to the Pope. Harlow was elected a member for merit of the Academy of St. Luke at Rome, a most unusual distinction for an English artist, and was invited to paint his own portrait for the Uffizi gallery. The present portrait, an intimate encounter with of an unknown Roman lady was conceived in the same year.  Tragically Harlow died a year later, at the height of his powers and aged just thirty-one, having contracted a throat infection shortly after his return to England.