In the late nineteenth century, when it hung on the main staircase, the painting was described by Cole as a portrait of Rhoda Apreece, wife of Robert Blake Delaval. Although her date of birth is not known, she married Delaval in 1724, and was therefore born probably sometime between 1700 and 1705. The child in the present portrait would appear to be between about five and eight years old. If the identification of the sitter as Rhoda is correct, the painting may date to c.1705–10.