Oval miniature apparently in oil on canvas in an oval gilt metal surround set in a black-lacquered rectangular papier-mâché backing board with a leather button-hole suspension tag, top centre. The sitter is shown bust-length against a neutral background, with his head slightly turned to the left, in flag-officer's undress uniform (1795-1812) of which the empty right sleeve is looped up by a gold tie over one of coat buttons and the left arm apparently extended out of the frame. The red sash of the Order of the Bath crosses the body over the right shoulder, with the Bath star on the left breast and a single gold medal hangs by a blue ribbon round the neck. This is a curious item on several fronts. While moderately competent in execution the likeness to Nelson and the dress detail are not good, the apparent painting materials unusual for a miniature, and the source of the image - which is also not one of the common ones - uncertain: dynamic poses, including an extended arm, were something of a speciality of the painter Henri-Pierre Danloux (see for example BHC3104), but there is no prototype of Nelson by him to be a direct source here. The papier-mâché framing and suspension method also unusual.

The miniature was acquired as part of the Sutcliffe-Smith collection of Nelsoniana, but without other information.