Nathaniel Dance-Holland

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Self-portrait of Nathaniel Dance-Holland, c. 1773.

Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, 1st Baronet RA (8 May 1735 – 15 October 1811) was an English painter and politician.

Early life[edit]

The third son of architect George Dance the Elder, Dance (he added the 'Holland' suffix later in life) studied art under Francis Hayman, and like many contemporaries also studied in Italy. There he met Angelica Kauffman, and painted several historic and classical paintings.

Career[edit]

On his return to England, he became a successful portrait painter. With Hayman and his architect brother, George, he was one of the founder members of the Royal Academy in 1768.[citation needed]

Queen Charlotte Portrait by Nathaniel Dance-Holland, c. 1768

He was commissioned to paint King George III and his queen, plus Captain James Cook and actor David Garrick. His group portrait The Pybus Family (1769) is in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.[1]

A portrait of James Cook by Nathaniel Dance c. 1775

In 1790, he gave up his artistic career and became Member of Parliament for East Grinstead in Sussex. He served this seat until 1802 when he moved to Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, serving until 1806.[citation needed]

In 1807 he returned to East Grinstead, serving until his death in 1811. He was made a baronet in 1800, which became extinct upon his death.[citation needed]

Family[edit]

He was married to Harriet, the daughter of Sir Cecil Bishopp, 6th Baronet and the widow of Thomas Dummer, for whom his brother had designed the house at Cranbury Park, near Winchester.[2] They lived at Little Wittenham Manor in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire).[3] His wife survived him until 1825.[2] His nephew, Sir Nathaniel Dance, was an East India Company officer famous for his actions at the naval Battle of Pulo Aura in 1804.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Profile". Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Horninghold, Gartree Hundred" (PDF). Victoria County History of Leicestershire. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  3. ^ Ford, David Nash (2008). "Sir Nathaniel Dance Holland (1735-1811)". Royal Berkshire History. Nash Ford Publishing. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Grinstead
1790–1800
With: William Hamilton Nisbet 1790–96
James Strange from 1796
Parliament of Great Britain abolished
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New parliament Member of Parliament for East Grinstead
1801–1802
With: James Strange
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn
1802–1806
With: Sir Robert Buxton, Bt
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for East Grinstead
1807–1811
With: Charles Rose Ellis
Succeeded by
Baronetage of Great Britain
New creation Baronet
(of Wittenham)
1800–1811
Extinct