A half-length portrait in midshipman’s uniform almost full face, but with his head turned very slightly to the left. His right hand is thrust into his tunic and he has his top hat under his left arm.

Deans joined the navy 1804 and this was painted in about 1807 in the Mediterranean by the same artist who painted BHC3124 and BHC2639. He served in the Mediterranean and Lisbon stations as a midshipman until 1810. During this time he was in the ‘Royal Sovereign’, ‘Ville de Paris, and ‘San Josef’, the flagships of Edward Thornborough, Lord Collingwood and Sir Charles Cotton. In May 1811 he was wounded in a boat attack on the Norwegian coast and was confirmed in his lieutenancy for this action. In 1814-16 he was flag lieutenant to Sir William Johnstone Hope and Sir Home Popham on the home station. He became a commander in 1818 and continued to serve afloat until he was made post captain in 1838. He was not employed afterwards but in 1857 was made a rear-admiral on the retired list and promoted to vice-admiral in 1864.