Gainsborough was the son of a cloth merchant. His career began in his home town, Sudbury. As his reputation developed he moved to Bath. Many wealthy spa visitors were keen to have their portrait painted during their stay and Gainsborough knew Bath was a place where he could earn a good living. He worked in Bath from 1759 until moving to London in 1774. Sir Thomas Rumbold joined the East India Company as a teenager, and went on to become Governor of Madras. His son William, shown in the painting, also worked for the Company. He became MP for Weymouth, but died aged only 26. The Rumbolds sat for Gainsborough in the early 1770s. The artist probably painted their heads from life and roughed in the costume, leaving finer details to be added later.