DANCE-HOLLAND, Nathaniel

This picture had traditionally been identified (with no plausibility whatsoever) as “Captain Cook and his friend.” However, the two gentlemen are now identified as Captain (later Admiral) Sir George Pocock (1706-1792) and Captain Digby Dent (died 1761). They are in an interior, before a painting of the bombardment of the Iron Castle at Portobello of November 1739.

Captain James Cook (1728-1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.

In this three-quarter length portrait of Anne, Countess of Albemarle (c.1740-1824), the sitter is represented wearing a white silk dress hung with rows of pears and a blue bow at the waist, and standing by a red curtain.

Influenced by the portrait style of Pompeo Batoni, Dance-Holland became a foundation member of the Royal Academy in 1768. One of his most famous portraits is of ‘Captain Cook’ (1766). He later retired from being an artist, became an MP, and was created a baronet.

This painting was formerly thought to have been painted by Allan Ramsay. The sitter has variously been called Lady Anne Compton, Countess of Northampton, who died aged 22 in 1763, and Lady Elizabeth Compton, Countess of Northampton, who died in 1741. As the portrait must date approximately to 1780, it is most likely that the sitter is in fact the former’s daughter, Lady Elizabeth Compton (1760-1835), who married Lord George Cavendish, later created 1st Earl of Burlington (1754-1834), in 1782. She was painted by Reynolds in 1781 (National Gallery of Art, Washington), and also sat to both Hoppner and Romney.

The sitter is depicted wearing a pink satin dress and green sash.

The painter was the third son of architect George Dance the Elder (1700-1768). He added the ‘Holland’ suffix later in life. Dance-Holland studied art under Francis Hayman (c. 1708-1776), and like many contemporaries also studied in Italy. He painted several history and classical paintings, and he was influenced by the portrait style of Pompeo Batoni.

In England Dance-Holland became a successful portrait painter, one of his most famous portraits is of ‘Captain Cook’ (1766).

With Hayman and his architect brother George Dance the Younger (1741-1825), he was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768.

In 1790 he retired from being an artist, became an MP, and was created a baronet.