During the period of peace following the Napoleonic Wars, increasingly elaborate (and often quite impractical) military attire was devised, particularly by George IV. By the time William IV came to the throne in 1830, uniforms had become too expensive and were simplified and adapted once again. The result of these changes was codified and promulgated in the 1831 Dress Regulations. These paintings were intended to provide a visual record of the recent changes to military dress. Their value is not only historical, however, but also aesthetic: Drahonet produces lively, slightly elongated figures, capturing their facial expressions and setting them in a variety of organic poses.

Each painting in the series depicts a single figure against a neutral background. Although their uniform and accoutrements are the focus, the sitters are often identified by name, as well as regiment and rank. Shown here is Lieutenant and Captain the Honourable Thomas Ashburnham of the Coldstream Guards, an infantry regiment named after the town on the Scottish border where they were assembled in the 17th century.

In Drahonet’s painting, Ashburnham models the new Foot Guard coatee, introduced in 1829. It was double breasted, without lapels, with two rows of buttons and blue facings. He also wears a bearskin, introduced to the Coldstream uniform in 1831, with a red plume and crown and rose badge to differentiate it from that of the Grenadier Guards. Garter Stars, one of the regiment’s symbols, decorate the belt plate and the collar. Ashburnham wears the white trousers permitted during the summer months. Aspects of his uniform, such as the gold bullion epaulettes and other coatee ornamentation, reflect his status as Officer. The gold and crimson sash shown here (from which hangs a curved gilt scabbard) was worn on state occasions.