Emma Hamilton rose to international fame as a model, performer and trendsetter, though she was probably best known as the mistress of Lord Nelson and the muse of the English portrait painter George Romney. This landmark publication recovers Emma Hamilton from myth and misrepresentation and reveals her as the active and influential historical actor she truly was. The arc of this life - her ambitions, successes, and hardships - is viewed through a new lens, one that places her in a wider context of female celebrity. Accompanying a major exhibition which took place at the National Maritime Museum, this book provides a fresh evaluation of her artistic undertakings, cultural achievements, and legacy. "Medea one moment, Agrippina the next, Emma could be anyone you wanted her to be."Times Literary Supplement.