Anthony Adrian, 7th Earl of Kintore, was an important patron for Ferneley. First mention is made of him in a letter dated 28 August 1824 from the artist to his wife when he records going to see Lord Kintore at Keith Hall for a day's shooting with Sir Harry Goodricke. He was obviously asked to stay for a while as further letters to his wife were written from Keith Hall in which he records receiving commissions from the Earl's friends, but being unsure of when they would be carried out as "it will depend upon the time I have with Lord Kintore's pictures". Correspondence continued between the two for quite some years afterwards.

Major Guy Paget in The Melton Mowbray of John Ferneley, Sen. (1782-1860), 1931, p. 136, in the artist's account books under no. 270, notes a sum of 10 gns. in 1825 for the Earl of Kintore for 'A large hunting picture'. This refers to another large painting, at present on loan to Aberdeen, with the portraits of the Earl, Captain Douglas, Lord Panmuire and Captain Hunter Taylor