A half-length portrait, head slightly to right, body slightly to the left, in a boy volunteer's black stock and white collar. Tindal is shown fresh-faced and with his fair hair cut fairly short, presumably at the very start of his career in the Royal Navy. Sea and sky - the latter curiously painted - form almost the whole of the background of the painting. There is a cutter in the distance on the left - typically a vessel in which such boys gained early experience - and white cliffs on the right, possibly those round Dover and symbolic of England.

The painting was probably executed in 1825, the year the sitter joined the Navy. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1832. In 1836 he was in the sloop 'Vestal' on the North American station and later the sloop 'Calliope' on the South American station. By 1841 he was in China, where he was present at the attack on Chuenpee, the storming of Wampea reach and at attacks on Canton. As a result of this he was promoted to commander the same year and was appointed to command the sloop 'Pylades', which he brought home from the east in 1843. In 1846 he commanded the brig-sloop 'Grecian' to open the South American station, returning in 1849. He was promoted to captain in 1852, rear-admiral in 1868 and vice-admiral in 1874.