Jane Anne Inglis was born circa 1772, the daughter of William Mason, a leading solicitor and highly respected citizen of Colchester. Her mother, Anne (neé Parmenter), was Constable's first cousin, being the daughter of the artist's aunt, Judith. It is probable that this portrait was painted during a visit Jane made to London in 1808, at the age of sixteen. She married James Inglis, and had a daughter, also Jane Anne (b. 1817), to whom Constable was later to give lessons in painting.