A silhouette portrait of a naval lieutenant in full-dress uniform of 1787–1812, with a hat. It is painted on paper in black and blue with lace and buttons in gold. The identity of the sitter is currently unknown. Charles Buncombe was active as a silhouette artist from around 1795 until 1825, practising at Newport on the Isle of Wight, where he also worked as a schoolmaster. He is sometimes confused with his son John, who may have also produced silhouettes in the 1820s. Buncombe’s silhouette portraits are some of the most distinctive of this period, with the face of the sitter in black and the rest of the figure in vivid colour. Although he painted some civilian subjects in his early career, Buncombe is best known for his portraits of military and naval officers. During the Napoleonic Wars, many soldiers were stationed on the Isle of Wight, the island being a favoured staging post for British troops departing for the French coast. Newport’s proximity to the Spithead anchorage meant that naval officers also visited the town. Buncombe finished his silhouettes to a high standard, completing painstakingly accurate renderings of military and naval uniform. Unlike most other silhouette artists, he generally sold his works unframed, presumably in order to allow his military and naval sitters to post their portraits home to their wives or relatives. Portraits were important for military and naval families in this period, since they provided a sense of connection to loved ones who were away fighting. As they were small, portable and relatively affordable, silhouettes were often commissioned by officers as a sentimental gifts for their families. (Updated April 2019.)