Portrait of a Man (probably William Currie, 1756–1829, MP)

This portrait, probably depicting William Currie MP, was painted around 1790, during Dance-Holland's later career when he had become Member of Parliament for East Grinstead and was painting less frequently. Currie, if correctly identified, was a Scottish banker who served as a Member of Parliament and was active in the financial networks that sustained the British government during the American Revolutionary War's fiscal strain. By 1790 Dance's practice had shifted from the ambitious Grand Tour portraiture of his Italian period toward more occasional work for his social network, and portraits like this represent the continuation of his career as a gentleman-painter rather than a professional at full stretch.

The straightforward bust-length format and subdued palette reflect Dance-Holland's late manner, with less emphasis on dramatic lighting effects and more on a direct, unaffected likeness.