Winterhalter was born in the Black Forest where he was encouraged to draw at school. In 1818 he went to Freiburg to study under Karl Ludwig Sch?ler and then moved to Munich in 1823, where he attended the Academy and studied under Josef Stieler, a fashionable portrait painter. Winterhalter was first brought to the attention of Queen Victoria by the Queen of the Belgians and subsequently painted numerous portraits at the English court from 1842 till his death.

Prince Arthur (1850?1942) was the third son and seventh of the nine children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was born on 1 May 1850, the birthday of his godfather, the Duke of Wellington, after whom he was named. He had a career in the army and became Governor-General of Canada.

Signed and dated: F Winterhalter 1851. Inscribed on the back with the names of the artist and sitter and the date, June 1851.