A full-length portrait standing to the left, showing Beauclerk in his admiral's full dress uniform (1830–32) with white trousers and black shoes. His right elbow rests on an anchor fluke; his telescope is in the crook of his right arm. He wears the star and neck decoration of the KCB. The portrait was begun by Jackson in 1831. It is inscribed: ‘Painted by J. T. Jackson, RA, lower part finished by A. Fusell, 1863’. 'A. Fusell' may refer to the artist and illustrator Alexander Fussell (1814-1909). Alexander and his brother ran a school of design in Nottingham. The Dukes of St Albans, who owned the painting, had an estate, Bestwood, near Nottingham, suggesting a possible local connection.

Lord Amelius Beauclerk was the third son of Aubrey Beauclerk, the fifth duke of St Albans (1740–1802). He entered the cutter ‘Jackal’ in 1782 and the following year was appointed to Vice-Admiral John Campbell’s flagship, the ‘Salisbury’ on the Newfoundland station. He also served in the West Indies and returned to Britain in 1789 as acting lieutenant in the ‘Europa’, being confirmed in the rank on 21 September 1790. In 1792 he was sent to the Mediterranean in the frigate ‘Druid’ and was appointed captain of the ‘Nemesis’, 28 guns, on 16 September 1793. In March 1794, in the ‘Juno’ (32 guns) he was involved in the blockade of Toulon under Admiral Hotham. Following further service, Beauclerk was appointed to the ‘Dryad’, 44 guns, and was involved in several successful actions, including one against the ‘Prosperine’ off the Irish coast on 13 June 1796. In 1800 he captained the ‘Fortunée’ of 40 guns and then a succession of 74-gun ships – ‘Majestic’, ‘Saturn’ and ‘Royal Oak’. He was made rear-admiral on 1 August 1811 and vice-admiral on 12 August 1819. Beauclerk was commander-in-chief at Lisbon, 1824–27; was made full admiral on 22 July 1830 and served as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth from 1836 to 1839.