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Amelia Long, Lady Farnborough (née Hume; 29 January 1772 – 15 January 1837) was an English watercolour painter and garden designer.[1] She was born in Hill Street, Berkeley Square, London, the eldest daughter of the prominent art collector Sir Abraham Hume (1749–1838) and his wife Amelia Egerton (1751–1809).[2]
As a girl, Amelia spent some time travelling in Italy with her parents, and copied works by Gainsborough and Raphael. She also received some tutoring from the watercolour artist Thomas Girtin. In 1793 Amelia married the politician Charles Long, later Lord Farnborough, who after his retirement helped to create the National Gallery.[3]
Amelia accompanied the allied troops on their march to Paris following the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815, and on the way made some etchings of scenes in Holland and France. She exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1807 and 1822.[3] Her early work is characterised by a “broad topographical style”, whereas her later work is focused on “the picturesque elements of architecture, natural foliage and country scenery”.[1]
After their purchase of Bromley Hill Place in Kent, in 1801, Amelia and her husband set about enlarging the property to their own designs. She planned the gardens of their new home, which by 1809 had two mile-long picturesque walks, and a view of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The gardens have since disappeared, but the house remains.[3][4]
Amelia died at Bromley Hill Place on 15 January 1837.[2] Her work was featured in the Courtauld Gallery’s 2026 exhibition A View of One’s Own: Landscapes by British Women Artists, 1760–1860.[5]
