Antonio David: The Shadow Painter of the Stuart Court Antonio David (1698-1750) remains a captivating figure in 18th-century European art, largely due to his unique position as the official painter for the exiled Jacobite court in Rome. More than simply a portraitist, David was a chronicler of a lost dynasty, meticulously documenting its members and supporters through a series of remarkably intimate and psychologically astute paintings. His career unfolded against a backdrop of political intrigue, religious upheaval, and personal tragedy, shaping his artistic vision and leaving behind a lega…