George Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper (1738 – 22 December 1789) was an English peer who went on the Grand Tour as a young man, but actually emigrated.

Despite becoming a member of parliament and later inheriting lands and the title of Earl Cowper in England, he remained in Italy.

This rite of passage for British aristocrats required that they tour the continent in the company of a tutor.

Accompanied by his tutor, they travelled through France, the Netherlands, and Germany before Clavering-Cowper studied for two years in Switzerland.

[3] Unlike other Grand Tourers, Fordwich was independent of his parents as he had inherited a fortune from his maternal grandfather in 1754.

[1] Fordwich's father was expectant of his return; he arranged for him to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Hertford in December 1759.

Although George Nassau Cowper had left his family's seats and his father in England he was not without connections.

The job he wanted was held by Sir Horace Mann who despite not being as much in favour as Cowper, was still the British Resident in Florence.

[8] Cowper used Zoffany's expertise to increase the value of his art collection in addition to giving him commissions.

After 1778, Cowper purchased Fra Bartolommeo's Holy Family in 1779 and he also supported Joseph Plura, Innocenzo Spinazzi, Hugh Douglas Hamilton, and Jacob More.