Captain Lord George Graham in his Cabin Captain Lord George Graham in his Cabin is a 1745 oil - on - canvas painting by the English artist William Hogarth . A conversational picture , it shows Captain Lord George Graham , of the Royal Navy , in the cabin of his ship with several people . The painting was probably commissioned by Graham to commemorate a naval battle he had fought recently . While commanding a 24 - gun sixth rate , he had been one of three British ships to attack a squadron of three powerful French privateer s and their prizes . The British were successful in their engagement , capturing all of the prizes , and all but one of the privateers . Lauded for his achievements , Graham was given another , larger , ship to command . The painting is probably set aboard this new command , the 60 - gun , and shows Graham relaxing in the great cabin before a meal , smoking a pipe . With him are the ship ' s chaplain and clerk , who sing and listen to music played by a black servant . A steward brings a roast duck to the table . Two dogs are also present in the scene , one joins in the singing , the other wears a wig and reads a sheet of music . The scene contains elements of satire and symbolism , in common with Hogarth ' s other works . The relaxed scene contrasts the tension of the naval battle it commemorates , with elements of humour including the officious pose and behaviour of one of the dogs , who apes Graham ' s official position . The steward looks out of the painting at the viewer with a smile , while obliviously tipping gravy down the chaplain ' s back . The positioning and depiction of Graham and the black servant invite comparisons , with Hogarth ' s presentation of black subjects in paintings being studied by later academics . Hogarth drew from his own experience in group portraits , and was probably influenced by an earlier cabin work by Bartolomeo Nazari . Graham ' s enjoyment of the painting was short - lived , he died in 1747 . His family kept the portrait in their collections until 1932 , when it was sold to Sir James Caird , who subsequently donated it to the National Maritime Museum , where it remains . Background . Lord George Graham was a younger son of James Graham , 1st Duke of Montrose , and had entered the Royal Navy at a young age . He served with some distinction during the wars of the early eighteenth century , and also entered politics , sitting as member of parliament through his father ' s interest . He was appointed to command the 24 - gun in 1745 and cruised in the English Channel . While cruising in the Channel off Ostend on 2 July , in company with the 24 - gun under Captain William Gordon , and the armed vessel " Ursula " under Lieutenant Fergusson , Graham came across three large privateer s from Dunkirk , sailing in company with their captured prize vessels . The French privateers were the 28 - gun " Royal " , 26 - gun " Duchesse de Penthierre " , and a 12 - gun dogger . They had captured seven prizes , and were taking them into Dunkirk . The British force attacked them early in the morning of 3 July . After a fierce fight lasting until 4 . am , four of the prizes surrendered to the " Sheerness " , the " Royal " and " Duchesse de Penthierre " struck their colours to the " Bridgewater " , and the " Ursula " captured the remaining three prizes . The dogger managed to escape . For his success in the engagement , Graham was commended to the First Lord of the Admiralty , John Russell , 4th Duke of Bedford , and was given command of a larger ship , the 60 - gun . He probably commissioned a portrait from Hogarth at about this time , and the resulting painting is believed to be set aboard Graham ' s new command , which in late 1745 was on the Downs station . Positioning . Graham is seated to the right of the picture , on the left of the table that divides the picture . He is seen in full length , facing forwards though looking to the side , while smoking a long pipe . Standing to Graham ' s right , his lower half obscured by the table cloth , a man holds a sheet of music and is in the act of singing . The third member of the dining party is seated on the left of the painting , and like Graham is visible in full length . Ronald Paulson identifies them as the ship ' s clerk and chaplain . The music the men are listening or singing along to is provided by a black manservant , standing on the right of the painting and playing a pipe and tabor . A steward stands opposite him on the left of the painting , framing the composition . The steward holds a plate of roast duck , but looks out of the painting towards the viewer with a smile , while gravy drips from the plate down the back of the chaplain ' s coat . The remaining members of the portrait are two dogs . One is Graham ' s own , sitting at the chaplain ' s feet and apparently joining in the singing . The other , sat on his haunches on a chair on the right of the painting , is Hogarth ' s own pug , Trump . Trump , his tongue lolling out and wearing Graham ' s wig , holds a scroll and appears to read from his own sheet of music , balanced against a wine glass in front of him . Clothing . The men are well dressed , Graham smokes a pipe while wearing a fur - lined red velvet cape and a red velvet cap which is slightly askew . The grey coat he wears with a white neckerchief is opened at the chest , revealing a gold - brocade waistcoat , his lower half is clothed in breeches , stockings and slippers . The chaplain wears a black coat with a white collar , grey stockings and black shoes with gold buckles , the costume of a social inferior to Graham , but indicating his educated status . The clerk ' s dress is similarly simple , a brown jacket , bluish - green waistcoat and white collar , while the steward wears a white apron , smock and cap with a black collar , and brown trousers . The black servant ' s dress is richer , a white cap and pink neckerchief , and a green buttoned velvet coat with a yellow waistcoat . Trump wears Graham ' s wig . The colours of the painting are mostly of cool greys , blues and reds , with the brown of some of the clothes and the wooden pilaster panelling , and the lighter blue through the window on the left of the painting . Imagery and symbolism . Hogarth included numerous elements in the painting . The scene is probably the great cabin of Graham ' s latest command , and the sails of ships are visible through the line of windows on the left of the painting . The furniture and objects are luxurious and the room is richly panelled and decorated . The chaplain holds a ledger and at his feet is a large famille - rose punch bowl , the punch bowl being an invitation to the viewer to join the levity at the table . He is separated from Graham across the table by a salt - cellar , possibly symbolising their social difference . His presence at the captain ' s table for this informal occasion nevertheless indicates that he is a privileged member of Graham ' s entourage . The clerk , standing in the centre of the portrait and uniting the two - halves , holds the music he is singing from , possibly entitled ' Farewell my Judy ' . Jeremy Barlow speculates that this might be a sentimental love song . The two servants frame the picture , the black servant playing a pipe and tabor . The combination of these musical instruments had a popular accompaniment to dancing for several centuries , but was in decline in England by the eighteenth century . Barlow considers Hogarth ' s representation of the tabor pipe a poor one , arguing that it is too short and has too many holes to be the usual three - holed tabor pipe , the boy holds it too far up its length and does not cover all the holes . Barlow points out that Hogarth may have intended the instrument to be a flabiol instead . He also notes that the lively music the instruments would have produced would be unlikely to complement a sentimental ballad that the clerk appears to be singing , and instead suggests the painting combines and conflates a number of typical activities in the cabin into one scene . The dogs join the people , their inclusion with the servants in the portrait invites commentary on Graham ' s circle . Trump ' s officious pose and lolling tongue , while wearing Graham ' s wig and brandishing the scroll of paper , makes light of the formality of Graham ' s position . Trump represents Hogarth in the painting , while his pose with the scroll , as used by musical conductors of the time , suggest that he may be the humorous conductor for the music and singing taking place . The steward stands at the left of the painting under a hanging crown compass , and carelessly drips gravy down the chaplain ' s neck , adding a final element of farce to the setting . In the relaxed and informal setting of the cabin , adding touches of humour and foolishness , Hogarth provides a contrast with the dangers of the pitched battle that the painting commemorates . The black servant in the painting reveals Hogarth ' s careful study of black and white forms . His positioning , clothes and stance echoes Graham ' s with his pipe , but they face different directions so as to present different profiles . The red of Graham ' s cape connects with the colour of the servant ' s neckcloth , while their similar caps , coats and waistcoats heighten the sense of connection , with the servant given equally colourful and variegated clothing . The facial features and textures are similar , showing off their youthfulness , while Graham ' s fair skin and the servant ' s dark skin complements and contrasts each other . Hogarth has also varied the appearance of the dark skin to show that the colour is not uniform , but changes in the light . Art historian David Bindman argued that Hogarth ' s representation of the servant avoided the traditional stereotypes of black people in art . Influences . It is unknown whether the idea for the setting came from Graham or Hogarth , though Hogarth had already produced a similarly composed conversational piece for John Hervey , 2nd Baron Hervey , entitled " Lord Hervey and His Friends " . Hogarth reworked the concept for a naval setting , though he probably also drew inspiration from a 1732 painting by Bartolomeo Nazari . Nazari produced a similar cabin scene showing Lord Boyne and his companions during a voyage to Lisbon from Venice . A number of elements , such as the hanging compass , punch bowl , and the presence of animals , were included in Hogarth ' s work . Nazari ' s work had been popular , resulting in a large number of copies , and Hogarth knew Boyne , having painted his portrait . Ownership . Graham did not enjoy his portrait for long , dying on 2 January 1747 . The painting remained in the collections of the Dukes of Montrose and was exhibited on a number of occasions ; at Glasgow in 1888 , the Royal Naval College in 1891 and at the Royal Academy in 1934 . It was purchased by Sir James Caird in 1932 , and was a particular favourite of his . It was later presented to the National Maritime Museum , where it remains today . Cabin scenes are rare in oil painting , and the museum considers this to be the most famous example in British art .