Gawen Hamilton: A London Painter of Conversation and Craft The name Gawen Hamilton often elicits a flicker of confusion, easily overshadowed by his more famous cousin, Gavin. Yet, this earlier Hamilton – born in 1698 near Glasgow and working primarily in London – deserves recognition as a pivotal figure in the burgeoning British art scene of the early 18th century. He wasn’t a revolutionary innovator like Hogarth or Turner, but rather a meticulous observer and recorder of his time, specializing in ‘conversation pieces’ that offered intimate glimpses into the social lives of artists, craftsm…