The artist based his picture on literary sources, notably Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson, ‘He (Samuel Johnson this autumn received a visit from the celebrated Mrs. Siddons. He gives this account of it in one of his letter to Mrs. Thrale (an endearing widow): - Mrs. Siddons, in her visit to me, behaved with great modesty and propriety, and left nothing behind her to be censured or despised. Neither praise nor money, the two powerful corrupters of mankind, seemed to have depraved her. I shall be glad to see her again. Her brother Kemble calls on me, and pleases me very well. Mrs. Siddons and I talked of plays; and she told me her intention of exhibiting this winter the characters of Constance, Catherine, and Isabella, in Shakespeare. Mr. Kemble has favoured me with the following minute of what passed at this visit: - when Mrs. Siddons came into the room, there happened to be no chair ready for her, which she observing, said with a smile “Madam, you who so often occasion a want of seats to other people, will more easily excuse the want of one yourself”’. The incident was recorded from the other side by Mrs. Siddons herself ‘I do not exactly remember the time but it was not long before I was honoured by an invitation from Dr. Johnson. He was then a wretched invalid, and had requested my friend Mr. Windham, of whom he was very fond, to persuade me to favour him by drinking tea with him in Bolt Court … some weeks before he died I made him some morning visits at the request of Mr. Windham. He was extremely, though formally, polite; always apologised for being unable to attend me to my Carriage; conducted me to the head of the stairs, kissed my hand, and bowing, said, “Dear Madam, I am your most humble Servant”. This ceremony and these words were always repeated with the smallest deviation’.

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