The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich holds the largest collection of naval portraits in the world, spanning from the sixteenth century to the present day.

These portraits reveal how the Royal Navy was viewed at different moments in history and they have forged, reinforced and challenged ideas of gender, heroism and loyalty. They have functioned as icons of empire, demonstrations of professionalism and personal mementoes for loved ones.

This book also tells the stories of specific artists, sitters and collectors, and of the places where portraits were made and displayed.