British School, Portrait of a Royal Naval Reserve Officer, 1954

The sitter is an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve. His cuffs carry the Reserve’s interwoven gold lace, with a six-pointed star in place of the usual curl. This insignia was worn until 1951, when the Reserve moved to straight stripes. As the portrait is dated 1954, it may record earlier service or have been painted from an older photograph.

He sits half-length in a dark double-breasted uniform, hands crossed in front of him, with the arm of a chair just visible. The crowned cap badge stands out against the black cloth. Two medal ribbons are painted on his left breast. The lower one, dark green with white edges, appears to be that of the Reserve Decoration. The background is a plain olive brown.

Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right ‘J. Barc 1954’, though the first initial could also be read as ‘L’. In a plain stained wooden frame.