This is a family portrait showing George Byam, his wife Louisa and their daughter Selina. The figures are supposedly out walking: the husband gesturing with his hat towards the landscape, inviting his wife to share in his contemplation of their surroundings. The family are in elaborate costume: the husband wears a red coat with golden lace and buttons, while the wife is dressed in pale blue silks.

Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) was born in Suffolk, but trained in London where he met the leading craftsmen of the day, becoming aware of continental artistic trends without going abroad himself. Between 1748 and 1759 he set up a successful portrait practice in his native Suffolk, producing images of the local gentry. He also sketched and painted landscapes for his own amusement throughout his life; this interest can be seen most vividly in the backgrounds for some of his portraits.

In 1759 he moved to the fashionable spa of Bath and became an overnight success, enabling him to demand ever-higher prices for his works. He charged £20 for a quarter-length portrait, £40 for a half-length and £60 for a full-length.