A watercolour by East Anglian artist Sir Alfred Munnings will be auctioned for up to £60,000 at a London art sale in March.

Portrait of Mrs Abigail Prince, which captures the extravagance of an American socialite, will be offered at Bonhams, New Bond Street.

It has an estimated worth of £40,000-£60,000.

At the time, Mrs Prince gave clear instructions – asking Sir Alfred to paint her in the style of an 1830s Lancer, of the Spanish army. 'This is my own portrait, and nobody else's,' she told him. 'You are to paint me like that.'

Sir Alfred was born in Mendham, near Harleston.

He attended the Norwich School of Art in his spare time and was one of Britain's best known painters of horses.

When he died his wife converted his Essex home Castle House, where he died, into a museum showcasing his work.

The artist caused enormous controversy with his anti-modernist views.