Circle of Francis Holman 1729-1790

The Battle of Cape St Vincent was a victory of a British fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir George Rodney over a Spanish squadron, commanded by Don Juan de Langara, in the American War of Independence.  The vessel on the far left of the composition is probably the Admiral's flagship, the Sandwich, and the ship blowing up on the right is probably the San Domingo.  This subject was painted by all the major marine artists of the age, and the National Maritime Museum contains paintings of this subject by Holman, Luny and Serres.