Oval miniature in the form of a silhouette, with applied highlights, in an oval gilt metal surround, set in a black-lacquered rectangular wooden backing with a brass suspension ring and hanger of acorns and oak leaves, top centre. The sitter is shown as a young man, bust length and in profile, facing viewer's right, with short natural hair. He is in civilian dress and the roll collar of the coat and standing collar of the waistcoat suggest an 1820s date.

Patton was one of a naval and military family, his father being Captain Charles Patton, his uncle Admiral Philip Patton - also notable as a naval writer - and his cousin Captain Hugh Patton. The last was son of another uncle, Colonel Robert Patton of the East India Company, Governor of St Helena, 1802-07, after whom the young Robert was possibly named. He entered the Navy in February 1804 in the Utrecht, 64 (his then vice-admiral uncle Philip's flagship in the Downs), under Captain John Wentworth Loring, of whom he remained a 'follower' until late 1809. Briefly a midshipman in the Puissant from June 1804, in which his cousin Hugh became a shipmate in October, he then rejoined Loring in the Bellerophon, 74, and remained in her when John Cooke took over. He was therefore present as a midshipman at Trafalgar, where Cooke was killed and succeeded by his first lieutenant Edward Rotherham. Patton was subsequently three years and nine months in the Niobe, 40, again under Loring, including in the capture of the French 16-gun corvette Nearque, before being made master's mate in November 1809. He next served in the Polyphemus, 64, at Jamaica, where he was made acting lieutenant in August 1810. The rank was confirmed in November that year, after which he was in the Dispatch, sloop, in the West Indies, and the Doterel ,18 (Channel, West Indies and North America). He became first lieutenant of the Loire in April 1813 and of the Junon in November 1814 - both in North America - until promoted Commander in June 1815. On 13 April 1826 he was awarded the Royal Humane Society medal for saving a boy from drowning, probably while on half-pay, since he was only appointed on 13 May to command of the sloop Trinculo, 10, at Plymouth assigned to the Cork station (Ireland), for which she sailed in August. He was promoted to post-captain on 2 April 1827 but Trinculo was his only command and last commission: when this ended he came ashore, formally joining the retired list in 1847 and rising on it to rear-admiral in August 1854 and admiral in September 1864. He died at Fareham, Hants, aged 92, on 30 August 1883 - possibly in the family house where he was born. The 'Illustrated London News' of 22 September (f. p.285), published a portrait of him in old age (engraved from a photograph) with a brief obituary note suggesting he was the last surviving officer who had fought at Trafalgar. Although one of the last, when 'The Times' of 24 October also mentioned his death (in a report of a Trafalgar dinner of the Royal Naval Club of 1765) it noted that there were still two others then alive who had also been midshipmen there: Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Rose Sartorius, in the 'Tonnant', and Lieutenant-Colonel James Fynmore RM, in the 'Africa'.

The Museum has papers relating to the Pattons in a number of manuscript collections, biographical and personal ones concerning Charles and Robert being in BGY/P/3. Robert was a member of the RN Club of 1765, whose papers contain a book of sketches by him c. 1840 (RNC/L/1).