A lady seated on a ladder-backed chair, reading a letter, possibly the artist's wife

The chair in this drawing is seen in a number of studies of this type by Hoare. It is known that the Hoares owned a harpsichord, as one was included in the sale of the Hoare estate at Jolly's of Bath, held in 1794 after the death of William's wife, Elizabeth. The Hoares were a musical family; William Junior even considered becoming a professional musician.