Sir Thomas Lawrence

Although the portrait painter Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) enjoyed the company of the rich and famous who clamoured to sit for him, he found his closest friendships among the professional men and their families who had supported him before he became successful. Many of the most appealing portraits are of subjects from this intimate circle as in the unrecorded Portrait of Jane Allnutt with her pet spaniel.

The portrait depicts the daughter of wealthy wine and brandy merchant John Allnutt, a close personal friend of Lawrence and one of his most important and generous patrons. The artist painted several portraits of the Allnutt family – including a full-length picture of John himself, and a further study of Jane in 1826. From the latter it is possible to date the painting to around 1821-22, when Jane was three or four. Lawrence was known for his attention to detail and made a point of choosing the costume and setting most suitable for his sitters himself, rather than leave the task to his studio assistants. Here, he has posed Jane hugging her favourite dog.

Browse the auction and register to bid at before 8 December.

For more from our Old Master Paintings team, follow @bonhams1793 on Instagram.