Primarily a portraitist, Alexandre Dubois-Drahonet (1791-1829) worked for the French courts of Charles X and Louis-Philippe. His work is marked out by a clarity of line and understanding of light and shade acquired from Ingres.

In 1832 William IV commissioned the artist to paint his niece, the future Queen Victoria (RCIN 407006). This was part of a much larger commission to paint a series of one hundred pictures of soldiers that charted recent changes in the uniforms and weapons of the British Army. The sitters are sometimes identified by name, and are otherwise classified by rank and regiment. Ninety-one of the one hundred are still in the collection today. Apart from those depicting the French Navy in the Musée de la Marine, Paris, these are the only military works by Dubois-Drahonet that are recorded.

Colour-Corporal Joseph Smith of the Royal Military Asylum wears a red coatee wuth a white shirt collar showing, high-waisted blue trousers and a black shako. He carries the Asylum's blue colour, which has the White Rose of York in the centre, within the Union wreath ensigned with the Crown. This Regimental colour was presented by The Duke of York in 1825, and was retired in 1897 when new colours were presented by The Duke and Duchess of York (later Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary).

The Royal Military Asylum was founded by Field Marshal H.R.H. Frederick, Duke of York, Commander in Chief of the British Army, in 1801. It was built for the children of soldiers of the army and became the Duke of York's Royal Military School in 1892. Joseph Smith was aged eight and a half when this portrait was painted in 1832.