John Mealing (or Malin) was originally a Thames waterman who became a model and porter at the St Martin's Lane Academy. His wife was housekeeper at the Royal Academy. This miniature was described by Horace Walpole, art historian and writer, in a note to his Society of Arts catalogue, as 'John Mealing dressed in scarlet lined with fur'. It caused a stir at the Society's exhibition in 1766 where it was bought by George III for 100 guineas. Walpole noted in another copy of the catalogue: 'a portrait in miniature, good head of old John, Porter of the Academy. This picture was purchased by the King, he had been a waterman, was chosen by Roubiliac for a Model, having been rowed by him to Vauxhall when he went thither to plan his figure of Handel'. The artist Ozias Humphry noted that it 'excited universal wonder from its vigour and superiority over all the surrounding examples of his contemporaries'. The influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who had encouraged Humphry to follow the example of the Old Masters, can be seen in this miniature. Mealing's pose is reminiscent of compositions by Titian.

Ozias Humphry (1742-1810) was born in Devonshire, moved to Bath where he had rooms in the house of Thomas Linley, the musician, and then went to London where, in 1764, Sir Joshua Reynolds persuaded him to settle. Humphry spent a brief period in India (1785-7), exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1779 to 1797 and became a Royal Academician in 1791. His sight began to fail in 1792 when he turned to drawing in oil and pastel. He became blind in about 1797-8.

Signed lower right on the rock OH (monogram).

Catalogue entry adapted from Masterpieces in Little: Portrait Miniatures from the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen (1992)