William Allan, who was born and trained in Edinburgh, was profoundly influenced by the work of his friend and mentor, Sir Walter Scott. This painting is a posthumous tribute to Scott, set in the dining room of Scott’s home Abbotsford, in the Scottish Borders. It is cast in the style of a scene from everyday life with Scott’s daughter, Anne, in the role of the orphan. Exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1834 and probably acquired from there by William IV or Queen Adelaide