Half-length portrait of Banks, seated in the Royal Society’s Presidential chair surmounted by its coat of arms, looking directly to the viewer in imposing style. Banks wears a black coat with white lining over a white shirt and embroidered waistcoat; over the coat, the red ribbon and star of the Order of Bath. On a table before Banks is a red tasselled mace cushion with the Society’s Charles II mace in front and the Society’s George III silver inkstands. Behind is a marble fireplace with a lion’s head design and to the right of the picture, an empty vice-presidential chair. In his right hand, Banks holds Humphry Davy’s Royal Society Bakerian Lecture for 1808. On the table is a manuscript of 'On an Improved Reflecting Circle' by Don Jose de Mendoza y Rios, published in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'.