A watercolour view of the armoury at Carlton House, with the figures of what are presumably visitors in the background.

The large Armoury at Carlton House, the Prince Regent's London residence, was considered, according to contemporary reports, 'perhaps the most curious in the world'. It contained a collection of rare and noteworthy arms and armour from a variety of eras and civilisations. This view shows the gallery which contained two model war horses, with the one in the foreground surmounted by a figure wearing the dress and helmet of Tipu Sultan.

Augustus Charles Pugin, father of the architect and writer Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, was a prolific artist, working across many fields. He became a draughtsman for John Nash, the architect favoured by George IV, and made designs for furniture and fittings for Carlton House (see, for example, Victoria & Albert Museum, inv.no.E.788-1970).