Oil on canvas; 34 ½ x 27 ¼ in. (90.2 x 71.3 cm). Boston Athenæum, Boston, MA.
When Adams commissioned a portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Brown in 1786, Jefferson reciprocated, and commissioned this one for himself. Although Brown had already completed a portrait of Adams in 1785, Jefferson wanted a fresh image, which entailed Adams sitting once again for the artist.
[Lord Frederick] North defended his role in the war for America to his death. He insisted that it did not originate in a despotic wish to tyrannise America, but from the desire of maintaining constitutional authority of Parliament over the colonies.
He admitted that the war with American had been unfortunate but not unjust,
adding that if he had been forced to mount the scaffold in consequence of the part that I have performed in its prosecution, I shall continue to maintain that it was founded in right and dictated by necessity.