George A. Paley of Ampton Park, Suffolk, was descended from William Paley (1743-1805), Archdeacon of Carlisle and author of the famous Evidences. He grew up to be an eccentric who farmed extensively in South Africa, where he lost a lot of money. He was a friend of Hilaire Belloc, Desmond MacCarthy and other intellectuals, and wrote a novel, Paul Redway (1923), which has been described as 'forgettable'. His son Percy Paley inherited Castle Hacket in Co. Galway, the ancient home of the Kirwan family, famous as merchants and horseracers. Castle Hackett was burned to the ground in 1923, and when it was rebuilt many of the furnishings, including this picture, were brought from Ampton or other Paley properties.