Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, portrait

Sir Watkin Williams Wynn was richest man in North Wales and his estate stretched from the border with England to the Irish sea. He had a lifelong passion for art and music, which was inspired by his time on the Grand Tour in 1768-69. He returned from France and Italy to become, in effect, the greatest ever Welsh patron of artists and musicians. His passion eventually became an addiction and he died owing more than £160,000 - a massive amount of money.

Hugh Douglas Hamilton was an accomplished portraitist, who had a reputation for producing true likenesses at incredible speed. He moved to London in 1764, produced portraits of most of the Royal Family and the aristocracy, before moving to Rome, where he had great success with British visitors seeking a souvenir of their time in Italy.

Sir Watkin was friends with some of the greatest artists of his time: the artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds; the potter, entrepreneur and advertising genius, Josiah Wedgwood; and the actor and celebrity, David Garrick.