Angelica Kauffmann (1741-1807) was born in Switzerland and was seen as a child prodigy. She soon specialised in history and portraits paintings while in Italy (especially Florence, Rome and Naples, Bologna, Parma and Venice) she was influenced by the nascent Neo-classical style. She became a member of the Roman Accademia di San Luca at the age of 23. She arrived in London in June 1766 and remained there for 15 years before moving back to Italy with her second husband the painter Antonio Zucchi (1726-1796). In London, she was a founder-member of the Royal Academy. All her life, she enjoyed international patronage such as the family of George III in Britain, Grand Duke Paul and Price Nikolay Yusupov in Russia, Queen Caroline of Naples and Emperor Joseph II of Austria among others. She died in Rome where her funeral was arranged by the Neo-classical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822).

This painting portrayed Captain Thomas Read (1762-1837) the twin brother of Sir John Read, 6th Bart. of Skipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire. Very little is known about the sitter who must have been 18 year-old by the time this portrait was excuted. It is a fine example of Georgian portraiture based on the so-called "Vandyke manner" essential to British portrait painting in the age of Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.