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An early 19th century British sailor's woolwork, or 'woolie', of His Britannic Majesty's Ship (H. B. M. S.) President. This is a particularly finely worked example with small tight stitches in silk wools, typical of the late Georgian period.
 
The picture portrays a frigate in full sail flying the Red Ensign, with a stylised rainbow arcing over it in the sky. Beneath the hull is the distinct inscription 'H. B. M. Ship President - 36 Guns', along with two stitched signatures 'E. Garton' and 'J. Smith'. Presumably these are the names of the sailors who worked on it. This is an important example of maritime folk art, both for its early age, and for the significant ship that it portrays.
 
The 44-gun American heavy frigate USS President was captured by a British Squadron led by HMS Endymion in 1815. She was formally brought into the royal Navy fleet, re-rated, and briefly served as a 36-gun frigate. However her time in the Royal Navy was short-lived due to structural issues, and she was dismantled in 1818. Despite this, because of her unique status as a captured 'monster frigate' that briefly served under the British Flag, HMS President had become infamous, and became a popular subject for 19th century folk art.