The enamellist Christian Frederick Zincke (1683/4-1767) was born in Dresden, the son of a goldsmith. He settled in England in 1706 and studied enamel painting under Charles Boit, developing a thriving business, at first copying portraits by Sir Peter Lely and Sir Godfrey Kneller, then painting from life. He worked extensively for the royal family and, perhaps because he spoke German, was one of the few artists George II could tolerate. George II is said to have commented that Zincke's portraits were 'beautiful and like'.

This miniature was probably painted in about 1740, considerably later than Zincke's group of miniatures of the family of George II which date from 1729-32. By this late stage in the miniaturist's career, his eyesight had deteriorated considerably, to the extent that he put up his prices to avoid undertaking more work on this scale. The miniature was probably not taken from life, but from John Faber's mezzotint of George II which is lettered: 'J. Faber ad vivum fecit', indicating that it was taken directly from a sitting with the king. Faber produced a mezzotint of Zincke and his wife Elizabeth, indicating contact and co-operation between the two artists.