▁Thomas ▁G ains borough ▁between ▁ 1 7 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 7 . ▁It ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Art ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁Mrs . ▁Sher idan ▁( El iz abeth ▁Ann ▁Lin ley ) ▁was ▁a ▁tal ented ▁music ian ▁who ▁enjoyed ▁professional ▁success ▁in ▁Bath ▁and ▁London ▁before ▁marry ing ▁Richard ▁Br ins ley ▁Sher idan ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 3 ▁and ▁abandon ing ▁her ▁career . ▁She ▁was ▁ 3 1 ▁when ▁she ▁sat ▁for ▁G ains borough , ▁dying ▁from ▁t uber cul osis ▁seven ▁years ▁later ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁thirty - e ight . ▁The ▁portrait ▁was ▁painted ▁between ▁ 1 7 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 7 8 7 , ▁and , ▁was ▁exhib ited ▁at ▁G ains borough ' s ▁studio ▁at ▁Sch om berg ▁House , ▁P all ▁Mall ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 6 . ▁ ▁Background ▁Elizabeth ▁Ann ▁Sher idan ▁( née ▁Lin ley ) ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 7 5 4 ▁but ▁the ▁exact ▁date ▁var ies ▁with ▁sources ▁giving ▁ 4 , ▁ 5 ▁or ▁ 7 ▁September , ▁at ▁either ▁Ab bey ▁Green ▁or ▁ 5 ▁Pier rep ont ▁Street , ▁Bath . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁Thomas ▁Lin ley , ▁an ▁English ▁music ian ▁and ▁composer , ▁and ▁her ▁mother ▁was ▁Mary ▁Johnson ▁( 1 7 2 9 – 1 8 2 0 ) ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁tal ented ▁music ian .