This unusual paintings is as much a still life as a portrait (or indeed a landscape) in that it appears to depict the head and shoulders of a Staffordshire figurine of Napoleon III set against the white cliffs of Dover (Napoleon lived his final few years in Kent after being exiled from France). The reason why Gertler chose to painting this subject in this manner have puzzled academics, although it is known that Gertler admired and collected Staffordshire pottery, as did his friend Thomas Balston, whose collection was left to the National Trust and may have included a similar figurine. We have copies of the original invoice and correspondence between Alex Reid and the purchaser, together with later research and thoughts on the work from Richard Morphet, a friend of the family.