This is a copy by Henry Bone (1755-1834) of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ picture exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1769. ‘Hope’ was a portrait of Miss Morris, a daughter of Valentine Morris of Piercefield in Monmouthshire, who was a governor of one of the islands in the West Indies. When he died, his widow came to England with her children. Miss Morris, needing to establish a livelihood, was urged by relatives and friends, including Reynolds, to try acting. She appeared at Covent Garden in November 1768, as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Reynolds attended the first night, along with Dr Johnson and other supporters, but Morris was overcome with stage fright and fainted as soon as she stepped on the stage. She developed tuberculosis and died the next year, shortly after the exhibition opened.

Bone was born in Truro in Cornwall, the son of a woodcarver and cabinet maker, and began his artistic career painting on china for local manufacturers. In about 1779, he moved to London, where he became established as one of the most outstanding enamellists of his day. His children and grandchildren also became miniaturists. He painted designs for lockets, watches and jewellery. He was principally a copyist and his large-scale enamels were based on paintings by Old Masters and leading contemporary artists. He exhibited over 240 items at the Royal Academy between 1781 and 1832, when his eyesight began to fail. He was appointed enamel painter to the future George IV in 1801, before holding the same position to George III from 1809, and later George IV and William IV. Bone could obtain top prices for his work – in 1811 he received 2,200 guineas for his framed Bacchus and Ariadne. He was described by a contemporary as a ‘worthy, kind, liberal and affectionate man’.

The miniature is signed and dated on the lower right: HBone 1808, and inscribed by the artist on the reverse in purple paint: London / March 1808 / Painted by Henry Bone A.R.A. / Enamel painter to His Royal Highness / the Prince of Wales after the Original / picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds in the / possession of the Rt Honble the Earl of / Upper Ossory.