The tale of the Warwick vase told in many sizes

Although turned down at the time by the British Museum, a 2nd century vase with Bacchic ornament found by Gavin Hamilton near Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli c.1771 proved a sensation with 18th century connoisseurs.

Displayed by Hamilton’s nephew George Grenville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, in a bespoke Gothic revival …

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