Casgliadau Arlein

Dechreuodd Syr Watkin Williams-Wynn ar ei Daith Fawr ym mis Mehefin 1768. Gydag ef yr oedd Edward Hamilton, swyddog yn y fyddin a cherddor amatur, a Thomas Apperley o Blas Grono, ger Wrecsam, ei 'athro' a fu gydag ef yn Rhydychen. Ar ôl bod ym Mharis a Fflorens, symudodd y criw i Rufain ym mis Tachwedd, ac yno archebodd Syr Watkin Williams-Wynn beintiadau hanes gan Anton Raphael Mengs a Pompei Batoni. Comisiynodd hefyd y portread hwn gan Batoni, sef peintiwr enwocaf y ddinas. Byddai ei waith yn cael ei edmygu'n arbennig gan enwogion o Brydain, a hwn yw ei bortread gorau o'r 'Daith Fawr'. Mae Syr Watkin yn sefyll ar y chwith â chreon yn ei law a chopi o ffresgo gan Raphael. Wrth y bwrdd mae Apperley yn tynnu sylw ei noddwr at ddarn o 'Ddwyfol Gân' Dante. Mae Hamilton yn dal ffliwt ac yn pwyntio'n edmygus at yr arwyddion o ddysg llenyddol Apperley. Mae cerflun damhegol o 'Peintio' yn y gilfan y tu ôl iddynt yn pwysleisio hoffter y tri dyn at y celfyddydau. O Rufain aeth Syr Watkin Williams-Wynn i Napoli cyn ddychwelyd adref drwy Fenis ym mis Chwefror 1769. Yn ystod ei oes byddai'r darlun hwn yn crogi yn Wynn House, ei gartref yn Sgwâr St. James yn Llundain.

Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn set out on his Grand Tour in June 1768. He was accompanied by Edward Hamilton, a cavalry officer and amateur musician, and Thomas Apperley of Plas Grono, near Wrexham, his 'governor' who had been with him at Oxford. After visiting Paris and Florence the party arrived in Rome in November, where Sir Watkin ordered history paintings from Anton Raphael Mengs and Pompeo Batoni. He also commissioned this portrait from Batoni, who was the most celebrated painter in the city. His work was particularly appreciated by British notables, and this is his finest 'Grand Tour' portrait. Sir Watkin stands on the left holding a crayon and a copy of a Raphael fresco. At the table, Apperley draws his patron's attention to a passage from Dante's 'Divine Comedy.' Hamilton, a flute in his hand, gestures admiringly to Apperley's display of erudition. An allegorical statue of 'Painting,' located in the niche behind, emphasises the three men's love of the arts. From Rome Sir Watkin went to Naples, before returning home via Venice in February 1769. During his lifetime, this painting hung at his London residence, Wynn House, St James's Square.