Portrait of William Travis (c.1752-1835), bust-length, in a black coat and white cravat

William Travis, the doctor or apothecary in East Bergholt, was a key figure in the artist's local community and attended both Constable and his parents. He is much mentioned in the artist's published correspondence, and appears to have been a considerable ally of the family, acting as something of a go-between in difficult times as, for example, Leslie records in the winter of 1816-17 following Constable's marriage to Maria Bicknell: 'It required the united efforts of the whole family and the local doctor, Travis, to secure Dr. Rhudde's friendship' (C.R. Leslie, Memoirs of the Life of John Constable, R.A., London, 1937, p. 96). Dr Rhudde was Maria's grandfather and rector at East Bergholt Church; he had staunchly opposed the marriage and threatened to disinherit her if she proceeded to marry the artist.

The catalogue for the 1973 sale of the present picture made the identification of the sitter on the basis of a drawing of Travis which had been with the Squire Gallery and whose whereabouts are now unknown. On the basis of this identification, Graham Reynolds (op. cit.) dates the picture to circa 1815-17, when Travis was particularly active in his role as mediator between the two families.