Lavinia Fenton became the toast of London when she starred as Polly Beacham in the first performance of The Beggar's Opera in 1728. Her father had owned a coffee shop near Charing Cross and Lavinia, described as 'a vivacious lively Spirit, and a promising Beauty' as a child, made her career in the theatre. In 1752 she married, as his second wife, Charles 3rd Duke of Bolton, having lived with him as his mistress for 23 years. They had three sons. It is the Duke of Bolton who gazes at Polly in William Hogarth's painting of The Beggar's Opera now in the Tate collection. Joseph Warton, a clergyman who knew her in later life, described her: 'She was very accomplished; was a most agreeable companion; had much wit, and strong good sense, and a just taste in polite literature. Her person was agreeable and well-made; though she could not be called a beauty. I have had the pleasure of being at table with her, when her conversation was much admired by the first characters of the age.' She died at her home, Westcombe House, Greenwich, on 24 January 1760 and was buried at St Alfege's Church on 3 February.

Jean Roquet (1701-58) was born in Geneva but worked for 30 years in England, mainly as an enamel painter. George Vertue, the engraver and antiquary, described him; 'Rocquet Enameller has best succeeded and now is much employd – he is Swiss born, of French extraction, and at this present has 10 guineas a head'. In 1753 he left England for France where he painted the portraits of King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour and was given a studio at the Louvre. He paid great attention to the costumes of his sitters which he painted with great delicacy. Rocquet was friends with both Hogarth and David Garrick, the actor and playwright.

Signed to the left above her right hand with the monogram JR.