William Schaw Cathcart (1755-1843) was an army officer and politician. He went to Eton College in 1766, but moved to St Petersburg in 1768 when his father was appointed ambassador to Russia. He returned to Scotland in 1773 and studied law. In 1777, he joined the 7th Dragoons and was posted to America. In 1797, he became colonel of the 2nd Life Guards and Gold Stick, which was the personal bodyguard of the sovereign. He is wearing this uniform the miniature. The appointment made him an official member of the king's household. He also wears the star of the Order of the Thistle. He became Major General in 1794, Lieutenant General in 1801 and General in 1812. After he served as Commander-in-Chief of the expedition to Copenhagen, he was created Viscount Cathcart in 1807 and, on 28 January 1808, Cathcart received the thanks of the House of Lords – the probable occasion for this miniature. He followed in his father’s footsteps and was ambassador to Russia 1805-6 and 1812-21 and was made Earl Cathcart 1814.

Jean-François-Marie Hüet-Villiers (1772-1813) was the son of J. B. Hüet, a painter, who taught him art. He took the name Villiers from Villier-sur-Orge where his father owned land. In 1792, he enlisted and only took up painting when he left the army. He exhibited at the Paris Salon between 1799 and 1803, then settled in London. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and Associated Artists in Water Colour (of which he was a founder member) from 1803 to 1813. He was appointed miniature painter to the Duke and Duchess of York in 1805 and exhibited portraits of both of them in 1803 and 1806, and a portrait of Gustavus IV, King of Sweden, in 1812. He was a versatile artist, drawing landscapes, animals and architecture, but excelled in his portraits in miniature on ivory, alabaster and marble, and in larger size in oils and chalk. He died in London and is buried in St Pancras churchyard.

The miniature is signed and dated on the lower right: Hüet Villiers 1808.f., and inscribed in ink on a card fixed to the back: Gen. W. Schaw Cathcart / b.1775 d.1843 / by Villiers Huet 1808.