Johann Georg was the son of the Scottish-born still-life painter, James Hamilton (c. 1640-1720) who was active in Brussels. Along with his brothers Karl-Wilhelm (nicknamed ‘Thistle Hamilton’) and Philipp Ferdinand, they spent their careers as court painters across Europe, specialising in animal and still life painting.

This is one of a pair of equestrian pictures acquired by George IV (see RCIN 407530). The tradition identification of the animals – the favourite horses of the Duke of Modena and Emperor Ferdinand – may derive from a reading of inscriptions which are now all but illegible. They are puzzling: the last Emperor called Ferdinand died in 1657. So while the Duke of Modena can be identified as Rinaldo D’Este (1655-1737) the owner of the other horse may be another member of the Habsburg family, who could have come into contact with him while he was besieging his own capital on the Anglo-Imperial side in 1702-7, during the War of the Spanish Succession 1701-14. A cream horse in profile to the left, held by a groom who is holding blue shabraque with white decoration over right arm and pair of pistols in leather holder; landscape with cypress trees and town in distance. 

The painting is indistinctly signed and dated; the inscription appears to read: Jean George d Hamilton P. / du C. de _ M. _ et Catholique[?] / 1705