Henry Bone (1755-1834) (previously identified as William Wilberforce (1759–1833))

Originally identified as the great abolitionist William Wilberforce, this portrait is now recognized as depicting Henry Bone, the celebrated enamel painter who was the leading miniaturist of the Regency period. Bone died in 1834, and Hayter’s portrait—now at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull—captures a fellow artist rather than a political figure. The misidentification reflects the challenges of tracking portrait subjects through centuries of collection history.

The portrait of a fellow artist shows Hayter’s sympathetic engagement with his sitter, the elderly miniaturist’s features rendered with respectful precision. Warm brown tones dominate the intimate composition.