William Charles Bell trained as an enamel painter in Geneva before securing his first royal commission in March 1850. From then onwards, he was employed constantly by Queen Victoria for almost 50 years, painting enamel miniatures, often copied after Franz Xaver Winterhalter's oil portraits, for her own collection and for distribution as gifts. His enamels were usually smaller than those by Henry Pierce Bone, William Essex or John Simpson, whose services she had previously employed, and many were set into items of jewellery, particularly Maid of Honour brooches. Queen Victoria's last payment to Bell, in July 1899, was for '6 Miniatures on Gold for Maid of Honour brooches'. Owing to his advanced years, the Queen then gave him no further work but awarded him an annual pension of £20.

Bells's enamel is a reduced copy from the group portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter showing the Duke of Wellington, Prince Arthur's godfather, fancifully presenting a casket to Prince Arthur on the occasion of his visit after the opening of the Great Exhibition on 1 May 1851 (406995). The Duke of Wellington shared a birthday with Prince Arthur, who was one on 1 May 1851. In this enamel, Queen Victoria, wearing the ribbon of the Order of the Garter, holds the infant Prince Arthur in her arms.

Signed, dated and inscribed on the counter-enamel in black paint: Queen Victoria & Prince Arthur / from Winterhalter's picture of the / 1st of May 1851 / Enamelled by Bell 1858