John Wilson Carmichael

Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 30 May 1996, lot 29;
With Richard Green, London;
Where acquired by the present owner.

The canvas has been lined. There are areas of faint craquelure pattern visible on close inspection more notable in the lower half of the work. Overall, the work appears to be in good condition and is clean and ready to hang. UV light inspection reveals an area of restoration to an old horizontal tear to the canvas approximately 30cm in length and running through the foresail of the 'Santa Ana'. This retouching has been done to a high standard and is not discernible to the naked eye. There are some minor scattered flecks of infilling in the sea. There are some minor flecks of retouching in the rigging of the 'Royal Sovereign' and 'Santa Ana', however, these are minimal. There are a few very minor touches in the sky and to the framing edges. Held in a decorative gilt plaster frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Britain’s famous victory over the combined Spanish and French fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 was the Royal Navy’s greatest victory - affirming Britain’s maritime supremacy and dashing Napoleon’s ambitions for an invasion. Lacking a numerical advantage but confident in the superior seamanship and gunnery of his crews, Lord Nelson devised a bold and unorthodox military tactic to split the enemy line by attacking it in two columns. It proved a masterful stroke, and his death in the course of his greatest triumph immortalised his memory in the nation’s history. The subject has been enduringly popular among Britain's painters, not least in J. W. M. Turner’s The Battle of Trafalgar, 21^st October 1805 (National Maritime Museum, London) commissioned by King George IV in the early 1820s. Turner’s work influenced John Wilson Carmichael, who became one of Britain’s leading maritime painters in the 19^th century with a commanding eye for detail and atmosphere. His obituary declared: ‘No artist that ever devoted himself to marine painting cultivated it as a study with so much enthusiasm and success’ (Art Journal, 1868).

In the present painting, Carmichael depicts the decisive moment when Rear Admiral Lord Collingwood, in command of ‘Royal Sovereign’, broke through the Spanish line and rounded on ‘Santa Ana’ – the huge 112-gun Spanish flagship of Vice-Admiral de Alava. All fifty of 'Royal Sovereign’s' port broadside, double shotted, poured into ‘Santa Ana’s’ unprotected stern at a range of thirty yards. Then, putting his helm hard over, Collingwood ranged up the lee side of the Spaniard for the coup de grace. It proved the brilliance of Nelson’s strategy, and Collingwood’s manoeuvre was completed even before ‘Victory’ herself entered the fray at the head of the other column. The drama of this decisive action is superbly realised by Carmichael, in which the action of the engagement is contrasted with the calmness of the sea recorded that day. It was only after that a storm blew in, further disbanding the remains of the enemy fleet.