A French First-Rate lying at anchor in the roadstead at Toulon, dressed overall for an important visitor approaching in a barge

Although uninscribed with any significant detail, it is probable that this scene marks a visit by the French King, Charles X, to the flagship of his Mediterranean Fleet, possibly undertaken on his birthday on 9th October 1829. By then, the King's popularity had waned to the extent that it had become necessary for him to cultivate his armed forces in case of revolution. In the event, the situation worsened rapidly and he was forced to abdicate the following year, spending the remainder of his life in exile until his death in 1836.