(Updated, April 2024) Over life-size marble statue, bare-headed, facing the front, torso turning to sitter's left, with the head turned strongly to his right and the right leg stepping out in line with it. The right arm turns back in front of the waist, pointing to sitter's left. The left arm is akimbo on that hip, towards sitter's back left, the hand holding his sword hilt under the folds of his boat-cloak, which is secured round the shoulders by a band across the upper chest.

The sword scabbard is visible in low relief between the legs against the inside of the cloak. There are three cannon shot around the outer side and heel of the left foot. Pellew otherwise wears admiral's full-dress uniform, with epaulettes, open over a waistcoat. The figure stands on a circular base which is signed 'P. MACDOWELL. R.A. / SCULP_ LONDON. 1846.'

This statue was one of three commissioned by Parliament in 1842 at £1500 each as national monuments to their subjects, the others being of Admirals Lord de Saumarez (SCU0048) and Sir Sidney Smith (SCU0051).

On completion, at differing times, all were placed in the Naval Gallery in the Painted Hall of Greenwich Hospital (this one being in the south-west corner flanking the steps up to the Upper Hall). Although an exact date has not yet been found the statue itself was first shown at the Royal Academy annual exhibition of 1846 (no.1403).

Patrick MacDowell (1799–1870) was a London-based sculptor who exhibited at the RA in the 1820s before entering the Academy Schools for further training in 1830. He became a Royal Academician in 1846, the year this piece was completed.