Oval miniature in watercolour in a gilt metal oval suspension locket, which has been adapted as a brooch by the later addition of a horizontal hinged-pin fastening to the back. The back includes a central glazed oval panel holding a plait of brown hair and a gold fouled anchor, probably originally set centrally on the hair but now displaced. The sitter is shown bust length, with only his right shoulder clear of the frame, facing the viewer but with his head and (rather wistful) gaze turned half to his right, against a slightly threatening sky background that casts his head into high relief. He has medium-length receding grey hair, combed back over his ears, and blue eyes, and wears the 1787-1812 lieutenant's undress uniform with only one button fastened, over what is apparently a round-collared white-and-blue patterned waistcoat, and a white neckcloth.

There were many Seymours in the Navy, some well known, and based solely on the uniform and the absence of a first name, this could be several of the less well documented ones. The previous Museum record card calls him 'Captain Seymour' without saying why, though a number did become captains. His apparent age is certainly old for a lieutenant, which suggests four main possibilities. The most unlikely - since he would have had no reason to buy the updated uniform - is a Phineas Seymour, a lieutenant of 1741 who last served in 1755-56 but lived to become a superannuated commander in 1796. More possible is a John Seymors [sic], who was a lieutenant of 1779 and 6th lieutenant of the 'Formidable' in 1790, but survived to be a superannuated commander of 1814. 'Captain', however, would have been the courtesy title of both these men at the end of their lives. There was also a Richard Seymour who became a lieutenant in 1794 and served in five ships until killed as first lieutenant of the 'Amazon' in March 1806, and a Stephen Seymour, a lieutenant of 1791 who was promoted to commander in 1795, and drowned in June 1796 in command of the 'Arab', sloop, wrecked on the Brittany coast on return from New York: he too would have been called 'Captain' from 1795. Whichever man it may be it is a sensitive and characterful portrait, and of costume interest for the non-regulation waistcoat - which should be plain white.