Print. Thais was a celebrated ancient Greek courtesan. The model here has traditionally been identified as the young Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton. However, she was just 14 in 1779 and, at earliest, had only arrived in London the previous year, initially working as a nursemaid for a doctor and subsequently as housemaid to Thomas Linley, the musical and theatrical impresario. Despite the apparent likeness - which accords with the neoclassical revival fashions that Emma's features so well matched - the sitter here looks more mature. By 1779 Emma had also not yet become the known demi-mondaine and artist's model that would have made her a candidate to be painted as Thais. There is as yet no other evidence she sat for Wheatley - who must have painted the original image here in 1778, at latest, to have it engraved and published by the following March - so its identification as Emma is probably a case of wishful thinking based on her later reputation. [PvdM 2/16]