A PORTRAIT MINIATURE OF THE ARTIST'S WIFE, MARIA HONE, BY NATHANIEL HONE (1718-1784), 1749 in profile to left, her brown hair adorned with a string of pearls, wearing a yellow gown and white chemise, enamel, verso signed with monogram and dated, recto monogrammed, inscribed and dated, gilt-metal mount oval 5.4cm Maria Earle (1721-1791), apparently a lady of some property, married Nathaniel Hone at York Minster in February 1742. It has been suggested she was the illegitimate daughter of John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll. The marriage produced five boys and five girls, many of whom Hone went on to depict in a series of tender oil paintings. Hone painted this vivid portrait of his wife after they had been married seven years, carefully noting her identity on the counter enamel.