Painting. A westward, port-bow view of a Royal Navy three-decker of at least 100 guns, hove-to in Spithead at sunset on a light south-easterly breeze, as a barge carrying her flag officer approaches (seen from astern) to take him on board. Another naval boat behind the barge has tossed its oars in salute as he passes. The ship flies a plain red flag at the fore and apparently (though unclear) a red ensign, indicating he is a Vice-Admiral of the Red, and there is also a military or Royal Marine figure in the barge wearing a red uniform and shako headgear. The barge's crew wear white jumpers, that of the boat behind naval blue working rig. At the flagship's mainmast there is a so far unidentifiable flag consisting of a blue cross with an emblem at centre, on a gold or yellow field, flying above the code flag 'W'. This suggests a specific occasion, with the upper mainmast flag flying in compliment to a significant non-British VIP passenger or visitor. Other shipping behind includes a British frigate to left, heading west down the Solent with another in the distance also doing so at far left. Beyond that a few distant craft include what may be an Isle of Wight steamer. To the right a naval two-decker of the white squadron lies at anchor, flying a white ensign, with an unreadable hoist of three flags at the main. In front of this is what may be a small steam-bowered launch, to the left a schooner and to the right a cutter, with the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour in the distance. The distant square building to left of the schooner's bow may be the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar. It has been suggested that the painting may be the one that Seaforth exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831 (no. 381) with the title 'A three-decker and other vessels at Spithead, Portsmouth in the distance, a ground swell and weather tide', although evidence of both swell and tide is more in the title than obvious in the image. [PvdM 2/18]