A half-length portrait of King Henry VII, to right wearing a gold-braided and jewelled doublet, red ermine-trimmed coat, jewelled collar and a fur stole. He faces to the right (his left) and his left hand rests on a table. He wears rings on his left hand, which appears to hold his gloves, and his cuff is also lined with ermine. On his head he wears a black hat with a jewel. The richness of his costume and jewels is offset against a plain brown background. This is a good copy after Holbein's famous (lost) dynastic painting of the Tudors for Whitehall Palace, which showed Henry VII, Henry VIII and their wives. The National Portrait Gallery collection includes a drawn study for the Whitehall painting (NPG4027) which compares exactly to Henry's pose, clothing and expression.

Henry's maritime achievement was his fleet of fighting ships in permanent commission - the origin of what became the Royal Navy - and the foundation of the first royal dockyard at Portsmouth to maintain them. There is an inscription in gold lettering along the top, of the painting, 'Henricus VII'.

Henry's seizure of the throne in 1485 brought order to England after 85 years of civil war. His rule (1485-1509) witnessed a strengthening of the monarchy and the introduction of important changes in how the government was organised. He created the Committee of the Privy Council, a forerunner of the modern cabinet, as an executive advisory board and established the Court of the Star Chamber to increase royal involvement in civil and criminal cases. Henry also encouraged trade and commerce by subsidizing ship building and entering into lucrative trade agreements, thereby increasing the wealth of both crown and nation. He also extended the Palace of Placentia at Greenwich as a retreat from the busy city of London.