FRANCIS SWAINE | AN ENGLISH MAN-O'-WAR WITH OTHER SHIPS SAILING IN A FRESH BREEZE

With N.R. Omell (according to a label on reverse).

Francis Swaine worked as a messenger for His Majesty’s Navy by 1735, and although it is not clear exactly how he became a maritime painter, his time at the Navy Board must have served as an inspiration. Although it is likely that he was already painting by the late 1740s, he had begun regularly contributing to the exhibitions of both the Free and Incorporated Societies of Artists from 1761 onwards. He was awarded the Society for the Encouragement of Arts’ second prize for sea-pieces in 1764 and again in 1765. In this composition as well as in his other paintings, Swaine demonstrates an informed knowledge of British ships of the period, which were almost certainly a result of Swaine's naval experience. This painting accurately depicts the swinging breeze that propels the ships forward, enhanced by the movement of the water. The clouds and dim lighting create a sense of calm before the war that awaits the fleet. The series of engravings and prints that were made after Swaine's paintings is a testament to his legacy as a maritime painter.