Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany through his wife Marie Theresa, whom he married in 1736. They were founders of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. From 1728-1737 he was Duke of Lorraine. The couple had sixteen children including Marie Antoinette, the future Queen of France.

The identification of the sitter in this portrait as Francis is recorded on the frame. Estimating his age as less than thirty the date of the portrait would seem to be around the time of his marriage in 1736. The hair style seems more in keeping with the 1750s and the style of painting resembles that of Allan Ramsay during those years, so there may be a confusion with the identification. 

The sitter wears a cuirass over a buff coat, with an ermine robe over his right shoulder; his hair is powdered and tied with a black bow.