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 Second Captain Lewis Alexander Hall of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers were involved in siege warfare and were also responsible for map-making and the construction of roads, bridges, camps, fortifications and drainage systems.

In acknowledgement of his role, Drahonet depicts Hall holding a plan, which unfurls to reveal the design for a fortification. He wears a distinctive, tall cocked hat with a white plume. The red coatee was standard across much of the British Army, as were the white trousers during the summer months.