Peter Romney

Peter Romney (1 June 1743 – May 1777) was an English painter.

Biography The younger brother of George Romney, he was born at Dalton-in-Furness on 1 June 1743. He is said to have shown a precocious talent both with pen and pencil, but such of his verses as have survived are puerile enough. When he was sixteen his more famous brother, who had just started in practice at Kendal on his own account, took Peter as his apprentice. His money troubles and various unfortunate—and in some cases disreputable—love affairs seem to have so preyed on his mind that he took to drink. Prematurely broken in health, he died in May 1777, in his thirty-fourth year. He chose crayons as his medium, to avoid possible competition with his brother, and is said at one time to have seemed a likely rival to Francis Cotes Lord John Clinton, Lord Pelham, Lord Hyde, and Lord and Lady Montford were among his more notable sitters. A portrait group by George Romney of his two brothers, James and Peter, was sold at Christie's on 25 May 1894.