[1] The son of Semyon Vorontsov, the Russian Ambassador to Britain, he spent much of his youth in England.

He was later in charge of the Russian contingent during the Allied Occupation of France from 1815 to 1818 under the overall command of the Duke of Wellington.

It was painted while he was on a visit to England where he stayed with his sister Catherine Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and attended the Coronation of George IV.

[4] The work was shown at the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1822 at Somerset House.

A copy also exists in Wilton House the Wiltshire home of his sister.