Arthur William Devis (London 1762-1822)

Martin Farquar Tupper was a celebrated poet and the author of the best-selling Proverbial Philosophy: a Book of Thoughts and Arguments of 1838, a collection of pithy observations on topics such as marriage and friendship. He was related to the Devis family through his mother, Ellin Devis Marris, and would go on to marry the artist's daughter Isabelle Devis.
This painting is a variant of Devis' portrait of Martin Farquar and Daniel Tupper, which was in the collection of Albert K. Schneider in 1950 (S. Pavière, The Devis Family of Painters, Leigh-on-sea, 1950, p. 136, no. 152, pl. 43).