Born in Philadelphia in 1853, John McLure Hamilton was known for portraits, figure paintings and illustrations. Hamilton studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Christian Schuessel and Thomas Eakins and then traveled to Europe where he studied in Paris with Jean-Léon Gerome at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He lived abroad, mostly in London, for many years, although he maintained a Philadelphia address. He was the official painter to the English Prime Minister, William Gladstone, and his family, and also painted many other English dignitaries, including Churchill, Balfour and Chamberlain.

Hamilton was a member of the National Academy of Design; Royal Academy, London; New English Art Club, London and Royal Society of Portrait Painters among several other art organizations. He exhibited extensively, including at the National Academy of Design, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Art Association, Paris Salon, World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893, Salons of the Societe Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris, Knoedler Gallery and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Hamilton's work is in collections of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia Museum of Art, Delaware Art Museum, Luxembourg Museum, Paris; National Portrait Gallery, London; and Tate Gallery, London.