Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton, in a Straw Hat

Exceptional beauty, ability, and ambition enabled Emma Hart’s rise to fame as the infamous Lady Hamilton—the mistress of naval hero Lord Nelson—and secured her position as Romney’s muse. This portrait captures not only her womanly beauty but also the flirtatiousness of a girl still in her teens. Her pose is both self-protective and coy—the act of hugging her arms close to her body could be seen as modest, but the fact that this gesture emphasizes her breasts also calls attention to her physical desirability.