The cutter ‘Gazelle’ was built for a Mr Williams in 1821 who was a member of The Yacht Club, initially a dining club for gentlemen with a mutual interest in yachting. From 1833 the club became the Royal Yacht Squadron, with an emphasis on yacht racing. This painting dates after 1824 and before 1833.

The cutter is surrounded by other shipping including a frigate at anchor on the right, and the coast of the Isle of Wight with the town of Cowes visible in the distance. Several figures can be seen on board, the man in the centre stands looking towards the anchored frigate with his binoculars and a woman stands directly behind him. Yachting such as this, together with membership of the Royal Yacht Squadron, was a pursuit of the very wealthy. This painting of the ‘Gazelle’ dates from about 1825.