The sitters were the children of James Wallace of Featherstone Castle, MP for Horsham and Attorney-General. Thomas (1768-1844) was appointed Lord of the Admiralty before the age of thirty, served as Commissioner for the Affairs in India, and was MP for Weymouth and Penrhyn. He was created Baron Wallace of Knaresborough, and married Lady Jane Hope, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Hopetoun. His sister Elizabeth died unmarried in 1792 at the age of twenty two. These portraits probably date to circa 1776. Both children and their father were painted by Romney again, in 1780-1, for which sittings are recorded, the half length portraits of the children being sold in these rooms, 1 December 1961, lots 77 and 78, for 5,200 gns. and 4,200 gns. respectively.