Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria as a young boy, facing left in blue silk suite with open white frilled collar and light-blue knotted silk sash, riding on an anchor entwined with oak leaves, his right hand pointing towards a column with an eagle, scales, corn, grapes, wreath of flowers and a laurel crown; italianate landscape with temple and mountains in the background

The allegory incorporating symbols of Hope, Abundance and Justice are often used to represent the heir to a throne. Ferdinand of Habsburg (1793-1875), first son of Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (later Francis I, Emperor of Austria) became Emperor of Austria 1835-1848 after the death of his father.
Before leaving for Russia in 1796, Stroely painted many members of the Imperial Habsburg Family including another portrait of Ferdinand, dated 1796, now in the Chancellery, Vienna.