David Birrell was born in 1757 / 58, but little is known about his childhood.

When he was about twenty, he joined the East India Company as a cadet in 1778.
In the same year he was promoted to cornet, then lieutenant.

He was on leave from the East India Company from 16 January 1789 until 27 September 1793,

and it was presumably in this window of opportunity that the portrait was painted.

On his return to India he was promoted captain in 1796

in the East India Company,s Bengal Cavalry, and a major in June 1799.

Little else is known of Birrell's life.
He died on 15 June 1800 at Futty Ghur 
( now Fatehgarh ),
a major town in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.