Dance-Holland R.A., Nathaniel (1735 – 1811) – The Antiquarian.

Nathaniel and his brother, George Dance were both keen caricaturists. Even after Nathaniel gave up his London studio in 1782 and retired to the country he carried on making caricature drawings as a gentlemanly pursuit. Most of the Dances' caricatures and satirical drawings are cryptic and impossible to decipher. This one is clearly a caricatural portrait of someone that the brothers knew well, possibly with the initials 'J.E.'. They must have been close and the drawing amusing enough to them for Nathaniel to have made this copy from his brother's original.