Provenance

Painted for the sitter’s father, Sackville, 8th Earl of Thanet (1733-1786), and by descent to
Henry James Tufton, 1st Baron Hothfield (1844-1926)
Henry Hirsch
sale Christie's, London, 12 June 1931, nr. 18 (1,995 gns.) to the following
Lieutenant-Colonel Evelyn William Thistlethwaite, and by descent to his nephew
Frank-Hugh Pakenham Borthwick-Norton, who married
Eva Sardinia Borthwick-Norton
sale (+) Christie's, London, 19 November 1988, nr. 146 (£44,000)
anonymous sale Sotheby's, London, 30 June 2005, nr. 85 (£98,400)
with Philip Mould, London, from whom acquired by the present owner
sale Christie's, London, Property from an Important Private Collection, 5 July 2018, nr. 57

Other works by Joshua Reynolds

Master Hare
c. 1788

Omai
c. 1776

Harriet Dutens of Craigforth
1772

Augustus John Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol (1724-1779), Admiral and Politician
c.1770

The Snake in the Grass (Love Unloosing the Zone of Beauty)
1785