Draped in medals and strapped into full dress uniform, the turtle holds the pose of an old general who has seen it all, except perhaps any reason to hurry. Gold epaulettes, a grave stare and a shell squared like a puffed-out chest, she embodies a calm authority that commands respect and a smile in equal measure. Under the solemn varnish of the official portrait runs a gentle irony: the slowest creature in the kingdom, promoted to decorated hero, and the graver the staging, the funnier it gets.

This piece belongs to our series of beasts painted in the manner of the old masters, found in our Animal Portraits collection. Above a desk, in a study or a wood-panelled entrance, it brings an amused stateliness that catches the eye without ever weighing the room down. It appeals to fans of antique painting and mischievous anachronism, and to anyone who enjoys giving the codes of classical portraiture a second life.

• Sixteen formats in the range, from 13×18 cm all the way to a vast A0
• Choose the poster alone or framed in black, white, light wood or dark wood
• Printed to order on good-quality paper with fine inks
• Free shipping

A fitting nod to a deadpan army veteran, or to a loved one who treats patience as a virtue.