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The years between 1750 and 1776 were a golden age for American painting. Although painting continued to be limited almost exclusively to portraiture, commissions grew as a result of increased patronage, the arrival of well-trained painters from abroad, and the emergence of talented American-born artists. Immigrant painters like Joseph Blackburn brought to the American colonies the characteristic Georgian Rococo style-portraits that emphasized high fashion attire and opulent textiles rendered in rich pastel hues.

Unlike many of Blackburn's portraits that ignored a sense of the sitter's character or personality, this portrait reveals both. Not only does it capture Thomas Wentworth's likeness, it also suggests his prosperity and social prominence. Notice the embroidered pockets, sleeve ruffles, and decorative buttons on Wentworth's costume, all of which reflect his standing as a well-to-do merchant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In 1763 Blackburn left the colonies and returned to England, where he continued to paint portraits.

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