This portrait ranks among those that were painted in Peter the Great's time. It was executed by the Dutch artist Jan Weenix in Amsterdam during the Tsar's first journey abroad in 1697-98. In keeping with the tradition of the ceremonial Baroque portrait, Peter is depicted in full armour against the background of a battle. He holds a commander's baton in his right hand, while his gauntleted left rests on a helmet. In the foreground are the crown and sceptre. The conventions of the European formal portrait demanded a particular solemn grandeur and an emphasis on nobility and knightly virtue.