Downman made a celebrated drawing of a black sailor, Thomas Williams, in 1815 (London, Tate Britain, Oppé Collection) and this drawing may perhaps have been made around the same time. The sitter is likely have been a servant in a wealthy house or perhaps a cabin-boy. Unusually for Downman, who regularly annotated his drawings with information or comment, this design bears no inscription identifying the sitter. In order to model the face he has used a cylinder of tightly rolled paper or leather called a stump with which he rubbed the chalk on the paper.