Study of a man seated

On the reverse of the watercolour is written, 'After a ride to Kiva-see Burnaby's Ride to Kiva', which gives a clue as to the identity of the sitter.
Frederick Burnaby (1842-85) was a soldier, in the Royal Horse Guards, who sought greater adventure and embarked on several overseas trips. He travelled on horseback through Asia to Khiva and described the journey in a book 'A Ride to Khiva: Travels and Adventures in Central Asia' in 1875.

Burnaby was painted by Tissot in c. 1875 and it may be that Cruikshank saw this portrait for the pose is very similar. This study may have been intended for one of Cruikshan's final works, 'Peeps at Life; and Studies in my cell', 1875. The full page frontispiece entitled 'A Wild Ride with Herne the Hunter' which conjured up several illustrations of famous rides and riders, such as Dick Turpin, the Epping Hunt, horses going to the dogs and Cruikshank may have intended that Burnaby should feature with these groups.

This watercolour which has the initials GC on it is likely to be by George Cruikshank (1792-1878) a prollific caricature artist.