Before and after his reign as King of the French (1830-48), Louis-Philippe, who was also Duke of Chartres and Duke of Orleans, lived in exile in England. This is one of a pair of watercolours by Robins which show his arrival at Portsmouth where Prince Albert greeted him at Gosport. The French King had travelled overnight from Treport on board the 'Gomer' which can be seen on the left of the watercolour. On the right seamen man the yards of HMS 'Victory', then (as now) the fllagship at Portsmouth. the semaphore tower in Porthsmouth Dockyard is just visible on the far right. The Museum has another drawing of Louis-Phillipe's arrival attributed to John Wilson Carmichael and J. M. W. Turner was also present and produced paintings of the event. PAG9823 is another of his drawings of the event showing the French squadron approaching Porstmouth and PAG8382 is a lithograph reproducing another and very similar image by him showing that phase of the arrival.

Robins was a popular exhibitor of marine subjects and landscapes between 1829 and 1879. The watercolour is signed and dated 'Portsmouth 1844'. S