Head-and-torso marble bust on a round socle. The sitter is shown facing forward, in old age, with short hair, balding and with long side-whiskers. He wears civilian dress of an overcoat with an astrakhan-lined collar and lapels over jacket, waistcoat, shirt and cravat round a high shirt collar.

The bust is signed 'G. / 1870' on the back and inscribed 'ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET - SIR GEORGE FRANCIS SEYMOUR G.C.B. G.C.H./ GIVEN TO G[EORGINA]. M. SEYMOUR BY THEIR CHILDREN'. A preliminary model was exhibited as 'to be done in marble' at the Royal Academy in 1870, presumably as a family memorial to the sitter who had died that January.

SCU0050 is the marble and was presented to the Museum in December 1933 through the National Portrait Gallery, by Major-General Lord Edward Gleichen of Buckingham Gate, London, who was son of the sculptor and the grandson of the sitter. The NPG 'Gleichen Album' (p.32) illustrates a second version done in 1872 for Seymour's son Francis, 5th Marquis of Hertford.

Seymour was the eldest son of Vice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour and entered the Navy in 1797. In 1803 he was under Nelson in the 'Victory' but had moved to the 'Donegal' as a lieutenant by the time of the chase to the West Indies and Trafalgar in 1805. Seymour was badly wounded when serving in the 'Northumberland' in Duckworth's action at San Domingo in 1806. He became a commander shortly afterwards and in 1809, in the 'Pallas', made a gallant attempt to support Lord Cochrane at Basque Roads, and took his side in the court-martial which followed on Lord Gambier. He continued to serve to the peace in 1815. From 1818 to 1841 he was Sergeant at Arms of the House of Lords, and briefly naval ADC and then Master of the Robes to William IV (1830-37). In 1841 he became a rear-admiral and one of the Lords of the Admiralty, where his firmness in differences with the formidable Sir George Cockburn on policy matters won him much respect until he was appointed commander-in-chief in the Pacific, 1844-48. He filled this post at a time of diplomatic difficulties with 'tact, ability and decision'. His last service as a vice-admiral and admiral was as C-in-C at Portsmouth, 1856-59. He became Admiral of the Fleet in retirement in 1866.

Seymour proved an intelligent, resourceful and successful officer through a long career. Born with high Tory connections he extended them among the Whig aristocracy by his marriage in 1811 to Georgiana, daughter of Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkeley. In 1861 their youngest daughter, Laura, married Captain Count Gleichen RN, (1833-91), the sculptor of this bust.