Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester (1776-1857) was the fourth daughter of George III and Queen Charlotte. She was also painted in miniature by the artist Andrew Robertson, who recorded in his diary the difficulties he encountered: ‘beautiful creature, most difficult to paint, fidgets about, now sits steady one moment – affable and laughs’.This miniature depicts the princess at about 19 years old, holding a portfolio and a drawing of a child. A bust of a child stands on the right. The miniature is a copy by Henry Bone (1755-1834) of Sir Thomas Beechey’s oil portrait painted for the Prince of Wales and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1797.

Bone was born in Truro in Cornwall, the son of a woodcarver and cabinet maker, and began his artistic career painting on china for local manufacturers. In about 1779, he moved to London, where he became established as one of the most outstanding enamellists of his day. His children and grandchildren also became miniaturists. He painted designs for lockets, watches and jewellery. He was principally a copyist and his large-scale enamels were based on paintings by Old Masters and leading contemporary artists. He exhibited over 240 items at the Royal Academy between 1781 and 1832, when his eyesight began to fail. He was appointed enamel painter to the future George IV in 1801, before holding the same position to George III from 1809, and later George IV and William IV. Bone could obtain top prices for his work – in 1811 he received 2,200 guineas for his framed Bacchus and Ariadne. He was described by a contemporary as a ‘worthy, kind, liberal and affectionate man’.

The miniature is signed on the backing card in ink: H Bone.