Born in 1803, the boy wears the cadet’s uniform of the naval college. The whiteness of the suit and the painstaking detail of the embroidery on the jacket and cap afford the portrait its characteristic clarity. The sitter’s serious mood and calm bearing indicate that he has left childhood behind and is prepared for his future responsibilities, as denoted by his hand gesture. The greyish background of the garden with its stone terraces is underpinned by a strict geometric arrangement that enhances the balance of the composition.