Horace Walpole was the youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole, who served as prime minister under George I and George II. Like his father, Horace was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, followed by the Grand Tour. In 1741 he was elected to parliament but chose to observe events and record them for posterity rather than become active in politics. He wrote the first history of British art and the first Gothic romance, entitled The Castle of Otranto. He was an antiquarian, a collector, and owned a private printing press. Strawberry Hill, his villa in Twickenham, Middlesex, was remodeled in a Gothic style of his own invention, and became famous throughout Europe. But above all, he is esteemed for his vast correspondence and his Memoirs of King George II and George III that reveal many aspects of his age for today's scholars and historians.

Ramsay's preliminary sketch of this picture in the National Gallery of Scotland shows Walpole sitting at a table with a quill pen, only the top of which is now visible. On 17 October 1758 he wrote to Lady Hervey, AYour Ladyship, I hope, will not think that such a strange thing as my own picture seems of consequence enough to me to write a letter about it: but obeying your commands does seem so; and lest you should return and think I had neglected it, I must say that I have come to town three several times on purpose, but Mr Ramsay (I will forgive him) has been constantly out of town--so much for that.