Appointed in 1718 by James VIII (1688-1766), the Venetian-born Antonio David (1698-1750) was the principal court portraitist during the childhood of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720-88) or 'The Young Pretender', and Prince Henry Benedict Stuart (1725-1807). David painted the two princes many times between 1720 and the late 1730s, most frequently in head and shoulders portraits, but also in full length and miniature form.

A possible prototype for the picture sold here is David's 'A miniature portrait of Prince Henry' of 1734, on ivory, that shows the young Prince in formal dress. The miniature is illustrated in the catalogue 'Bonnie Prince Charles and the Royal House of Stuart 1688-1788 - Works of Art from the Drambuie Collection', Edinburgh, 2002, p. 29, no. 67.