(1764 - 1826), architect and engraver, s. of Charles Hadfield, inn-keeper in Florence; London 1779; RA schools 1781; RA gold medal for architectural design 1784; worked with James Wyatt; exh. RA 1795; in Washington DC 1795 - 1826.
1763 - 79 Florence
1790 - 4 Venice, Rome (by 3 Sep. 1790 - late 1794)
George Hadfield was included on the Hadfield family passport issued on 14 June 1779.1 His training and work in London during the 1780s was likely to have been encouraged by his elder sister, Maria, who married the artist Richard Cosway in 1781. Hadfield was awarded the Rome scholarship in 1790, his application supported by Mary Moser: 'it was Miss M's decision that he be sent to Italy to study Architecture'.2
Having travelled out to Italy with his sister, Maria Cosway, in 1790, he left her at Venice and travelled on to Rome to take up the pension worth £;60 per annum.3 During 1791 he made a notable series of drawings of the Roman temple dedicated to Fortuna at Palestrina (Praeneste).4 He was listed in Rome in 1793 as an architect living on the 'Strada Felice the corner of the Vicolo de'Cappuccini' and in April 1794 he signed the letter of thanks to Prince Augustus from the English artists at Rome (Rome Lists 1793, 1794). While in Rome, he designed two elaborate chimneypieces which Charles Tatham described to Henry Holland in February 1795: 'the Architecture of the work, as designed by Hatfield [sic], a late student here & pupil of M. Wyatts, differs widely from the modern style - and I dare say will not altogether accord with your taste'. This chimneypiece was executed by the sculptor John Deare and bought by Prince Augustus for £;350. In June 1795 Tatham commented on 'two statuary marble Chimney pieces' which were also made up by Deare and bought by Prince Augustus for about £;150 each, but which were intended for his brother the Prince of Wales - 'as Hatfield was the director of the Architectural part of these also, they are much in the same style, widely differing from what we call French, as they stand high with but little projection from the Wall'.5
After returning to London late in 1794 Hadfield failed to become a member of the Architects' Club, despite the support of Holland and Wyatt (the latter speaking highly of Hadfield's manners and promising abilities).6
1. ASF se 2741. Wynne 1990, 537. 2. VAM (pp.17.g); vol. of undated press clippings, 2:382 [1790]. 3. Add.36496, f.191 (Irvine, 3 Sep. 1790). 4. RIBA, cf. Eye of Thos. Jefferson, exh. cat., Washington [1976], nos.143 - 6. 5. Tatham letters MSS (15 Feb., 7 Jun. 1795). D. Stillman, Art Bull., 59[1977]:85. 6. Farington Diary (2 Jan. 1795).
S. L.