William Allan was profoundly influenced by the work of his friend and mentor, Sir Walter Scott. This painting is a posthumous tribute to Scott, set in the dining room of Scott’s home, Abbotsford, in the Scottish Borders. It is cast in the style of a scene from everyday life, with Scott’s daughter, Anne, in the role of the ‘Orphan’. Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1834 and probably acquired from there by William IV or Queen Adelaide