The artist's nephews, Benedetto and Cesare Gennari, Casa Gennari, Bologna; by descent to Carlo Gennari; Francesco Forni, Bologna; John Bouverie (d. 1750); his nephew, Mr. Christopher Hervey (d. 1786); his aunt, Elizabeth Bouverie (d. 1798); by inheritance to Sir Charles Middleton (1726-1813); by descent to his grandson, Charles Noel (1781-1866), who was created 1st Earl of Gainsborough in 1841 (sale, London, 20 July 1859, possibly lot 71, "a study of two figures"; the Bouverie mark, Lugt 325, was probably placed on the drawing at this sale). Private collection (sale, Bonhams, London, 16 June 1988, no. 11); (Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox, London); NGA purchase in 1989.