In 1783, Stuart submitted nine paintings to the annual exhibition of the Incorporated Society of Artists, a rival of the Royal Academy. Stuart's work publicized what he could offer potential clients: a range of portraits in a variety of formats. The outstanding work was this full-length portrait of Henrietta Vane (c. 1773–1807) an enchanting ten-year-old heiress. Stuart imitated Thomas Gainsborough in technique, especially in the thinly painted trees, and he followed Sir Joshua Reynolds in overall conception: he mixed likeness and ideality in a picture of an elegant child amid ornamental flora, evoking the popular contemporary theories of nature and nurture.