Frontal head and shoulders portrait of Joseph Bellot, a middle-aged man, standing slightly to the right. He wears a naval uniform of dark blue/black, with a white collar and cuffs trimmed with gold braid detail and buttons. He wears a high shirt collar, with a knotted black cravat. He holds a letter inscribed "Josh Bellot Esq. RN / HMS Pegasus / 1789". There is a coat of arms in the upper right-hand corner.