This drawing is probably a preliminary design for a print and was possibly engraved as a diploma or award for a prize-giving association like the Society of Arts. The mount is characteristic of the collector William Esdaile and it bears his collector's mark. It was also later in the colelction of Charles Rogers.

Rebecca was a decorative figure painter working in England; his work is in the Enlgish neo-classical style. There are other drawings by him in the V&A collection; he is known to have designed admission tickets and other printed material.