Provenance:
Descended through sitter's family by way of her uncle (possibly)
Hollis & Webb, Cusworth Hall, Doncaster, UK, Battie-Wrightson sale, 16 October 1952, Lot 768 (possibly)

Literature:
E.K. Waterhouse, "Reynold's Sitter Book for 1755," Walpole Society, xli, 1966-68, p. 142 (possibly)
D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds: A Complete Catalogue of His Paintings, New Haven and London, 2000, pp. 198; 469-470, cat. no. 1871 (possibly)

Note:
Although this painting is inscribed with the name Mary Barnardiston, this portrait depicts her married sister, Ann (1729-d. before 1786). The portrait of Ann (titled Mrs. Thomas Whetham in Reynold's 1755 ledger) was painted in 1756 by the artist, along with a portrait of her sister, Mary (1730-1760). The original portrait of Ann Barnardiston was sold in 1883 to the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Interestingly, on the V&A's website, the sitter is misidentified as Mary Barnardiston.

In 1762-63, the Barnardiston family ordered a copy of Ann's portrait from Reynold's studio. The copy of Anne and the original portrait of Mary descended through their family by way of their uncle, and were sold together by the auctioneers Hollis & Webb on October 16, 1952. According to David Manning's catalogue raisonné of Reynold's paintings, the copy of Ann's portrait is listed as untraced. The present work may very well be the untraced studio copy of Ann that was sold in 1952.

The present lot's stretcher bears a label marked C.E. Clifford/ Picture Restorer/ Successor to Mr. E. Façon Watson/ Carver, Gilder, Printseller, and Artists’ Colourman/ to the Royal and Imperial Families of/ England, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, and Brazil/ The St. James Gallery of Art/ 30, Piccadilly, London, W. Charles Edward Clifford (circa 1823-1903) commenced trading as an artists’ colourman in 1848 and used this label from 1877 through 1887.