Portsmouth Dockyard (1877) by James Tissot

Portsmouth Dockyard (1877) by James Tissot

The painting depicts three people sitting in a rowing boat among the towering naval vessels in Portsmouth Dockyard, with another rowing boat crewed by naval personnel passing in the background before the bows of two old-fashioned square rigged ships of the line. In the background is a modern ironclad warship. In the centre is a man wearing the uniform of a sergeant in a Highland Regiment, with redcoat, kilt, and feather bonnet. He sits with his legs crossed, and his hands clasped around one bare knee. He is turning away from the unhappy woman to his left – in cream dress and tartan shawl or blanket, and her parasol up – and towards the smiling woman to his right – in white and black striped dress, with shawl over her arm and parasol furled.