Gustavus Hamilton (1710–1746), Second Viscount Boyne, in Masquerade Costume

Gustavus Hamilton (1710–1746), who was Irish, succeeded in 1723 as Viscount Boyne. He and Edward Walpole, the second son of the powerful Whig prime minister Sir Robert Walpole, were in Venice from January to March 1730, enjoying the pleasures of the Carnival season, and Boyne was there again the following winter. There are three versions of the present portrait: the second (private collection) shows the sitter in an identical costume; in the third (Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, England) he wears a brown brocaded coat. The hat, veil, and mask, worn outdoors with a black coat, is known to Venetians as the bautta and offered its wearer the advantage of anonymity.

Rosalba Carriera was born in Venice, probably in 1673. She corresponded with Benedetto Luti (1666–1724) and with the miniaturist Felice Ramelli (1666–1740), but was probably largely self-taught. According to tradition, she first painted the inside covers of snuff boxes, then independent portrait miniatures, and later pastels. She was admitted to the Accademia di San Luca, Rome, in 1705. Her clientele comprised the aristocracy of Venice, princes of the courts of Europe, and prominent connoisseurs of many different nationalities. In 1720–21, during a visit to Paris, she painted Louis XV (1710–1774) as a child, and she was received into the French Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. In 1723 she was invited to the ducal court of Modena, in 1730 to the imperial court in Vienna; Friedrich August II (1797–1854) of Saxony and Poland formed the most important collection of her work, part of which is still at the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden. As a miniaturist and as a pastellist, Rosalba developed techniques that brought these art forms to new heights and she was widely acclaimed.

Gustavus Hamilton was Irish, born in 1710, and succeeded his grandfather in 1723 as second Viscount Boyne. This elegant young gentleman made his Grand Tour of the continent with Edward Walpole (1706–1784), the second son of the powerful Whig Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745). The two were in Venice from late January to March 1730, doubtless for the Carnival season, and Boyne was there again the following winter. There are three versions of the present portrait by Rosalba: the second (private collection) shows the sitter in an identical costume, while the third (Barber Institute of Arts, University of Birmingham, England) shows him wearing a brown brocaded coat. All three would have resulted from the sittings for whichever pastel was painted first and all probably date within a year. The entire costume, tricorne hat, lace veil, and mask, worn outdoors with a black coat, is known to Venetians as the bautta and offered its wearer the advantage of anonymity; it was worn by both residents and visitors to the lagoon city.

Katharine Baetjer 2010
(Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art)