William Essex trained as an enamel painter in the workshop of Charles Muss (1779 – 1824), Enamel Painter to William IV. Essex first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1818 and throughout the 1820s and early 1830s built up a successful practice, working chiefly in enamel. William Essex must have had his first introduction to court circles through Charles Muss. He may initially have worked in collaboration with his teacher, but by 1827 was earning his own commissions from George IV. In 1834 Essex painted an enamel miniature of Charlotte, Duchess of Northumberland, governess to Queen Victoria, after Sir Thomas Lawrence; although he was already well established in royal circles, his patronage by the Duchess of Northumberland may have been an additional factor that contributed to his appointment as Enamel Painter to Queen Victoria in 1837 and Enamel Painter to Prince Albert in 1841. Queen Victoria employed Essex to make numerous enamel copies of portraits of her after Franz Xaver Winterhalter, which were set into bracelets and distributed as gifts. He also made numerous copies of portraits of her relatives and contemporaries. Most of these were commissioned within the same year as the original on which they were based, and were often given by Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. He also made historical copies of early miniatures and portraits at Windsor. Despite Essex's ostensible success, however, he fell into poverty in his later years and was forced to request that the Queen supplement his artist's annuity of £40 with a pension.

This enamel is based on a miniature by William Ross showing Queen Victoria, bust-length, in a dark dress with pearls looped across her right shoulder. It was bequeathed by Ross to his executor, Mr Wormald, and was subsequently at Sotheby's, London, 20, 24 and 31 October 1988 (lot 254). A full-length oil version of Ross's miniature of this type by his cousin, Herbert Luther Smith, dated 1848, is in the collection of Aberdeen City Council at Aberdeen Art Gallery. Although the direct source is dated 1842, Queen Victoria's hair is styled as she wore it in 1839 – 40, and the face pattern is certainly based on another miniature of Queen Victoria by Ross completed before 21 October 1840. This earlier miniature shows Queen Victoria, three-quarter-length, seated, in a white dress with the ribbon of the Order of the Garter and is the most ambitious miniature of Queen Victoria ever painted by Ross. It never formed part of the Royal Collection and is now in a private collection. Another version of the present enamel is in the Royal Collection (421541).

Signed, dated and inscribed on the counter-enamel in black paint: VR / 1841 / Painted by W. Essex Enamel / painter in Ordinary to / Her Majesty / after a mine. By / W.C. Ross Esq. A.R.A.