A half-length portrait to the left in captain's undress uniform, over three years, of 1795 to 1812. His coat is shown buttoned to the throat and the artist has concentrated on the gold of the buttons and epaulettes. This unusually small portrait was probably painted from life and the simple execution gives the face freshness and directness. The disproportionately large hat reveals the naïve quality of the unknown artist but may have been done intentionally to hint that Hardy was a large man. The sitter was at the Battle of St Vincent, 1797, and was responsible for the cutting out of the 'Mutine', 38 guns, at Santa Cruz. He also commanded her at the Nile in 1798. Thereafter until Nelson's death in 1805, he was his flag captain in the 'Vanguard', 74 guns, and 'Foudroyant', 74 guns, in the Mediterranean in 1799; in the 'San Josef', 110 guns, and 'St George', 98 guns, in 1801; and in the 'Amphion', 32 guns, and 'Victory', 100 guns, from 1803 to 1805.