18th C Historical English India Naval Battle Oil Painting by John Thomas Serres

Description

John Thomas Serres 1759-1825 was an English maritime painter who enjoyed significant success, including exhibiting extensively at the Royal Academy, … more John Thomas Serres 1759-1825 was an English maritime painter who enjoyed significant success, including exhibiting extensively at the Royal Academy, and was for a time Maritime Painter to King George III. This painting is oil on canvas laid down on board and depicts the engagement of the ship the Sartine with ships of Hyder Ali Rajah of Madras in 1780. The HMS Sartine was a French merchant vessel from Bordeaux. The French Navy pressed her into service on 3 August 1778 to assist in the defense of Pondichéry. The British captured her during the Siege of Pondicherry, and took her into service under her existing name. HMS Sartine foundered in action off Calicut in November 1780. The upper left hand quadrant shows a rocket trail from a bomb bursting in air. Original gold gilt wooden frame. less