Attributed to James Gillray by Grego and others; attributed to J. Nixon by George.
"The original drawing, attributed to Bartolozzi, evidently a sketch from life, is in the Royal Collection at Windsor (reproduced, 'Connoisseur', June 1933). Calabi, No. 749. (Described as etched by Bartolozzi after Nixon, see BMSat 8240 A.) Reproduced, Paston, pl. lxxii. (Supplementary information) Calabi misinterpreted the lettering to mean that the engraver was Bartolozzi. In fact it is after a drawing by Bartolozzi now at Windsor. The old attribution of the design to Nixon is wrong."--Curatorial comments, British Museum online catalog, item no. 1851,0901.1332.
A three-quarter length portrait of Arne (1710-1778) standing in profile to the right at a keyboard instrument. The exaggeration of his elongated melancholy face and the position of the hands give the character of a caricature. He wears a bag-wig and sword.