A half-length portrait to left in vice-admiral's undress uniform, 1787-95 and a white tie wig. In 1758, when captain of the 'Montagu', 60 guns, he succeeded in driving ashore the 'Oriflamme', 50 guns, near Cartagena and later in the same year he was one of the four naval captains captured on the beach of St Cast Bay after the St Malo debacle. He led the van in the 'Monarch', 74 guns, at Keppel's action off Ushant in 1778 and went out the same year to the West Indies as commodore of a large convoy. His initiative during Byron's unfortunate action off Grenada in 1779 was the best thing of a bad day. He fought as a flag officer at the first two actions between the British under Rodney and the French under de Guichen, in the West Indies in 1780, but shortly afterwards became Commander-in-Chief at Jamaica.

The artist was an important portrait painter of the late-18th century, generally ranked third after Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. He was in Paris in 1764 and in 1773 moved to Italy for two years, where he became interested in history paintings in the elevated and élitist 'Grand Manner'. This developed into improving upon nature and the pursuit of perfect form. At its best his work demonstrated refinement, sensitivity and elegance, although it could also be repetitive and monotonous. As a society painter he typified late-18th-century English artists who, compelled by the conditions of patronage to spend their time in producing portraits, could only aspire to imaginative and ideal painting. By 1780 Romney's portraits, according to Horace Walpole, were 'in great vogue' and he worked in an increasingly neo-classical style.