William Lionel Wyllie R.A.

George Gurney in 1895
W. Mitchell Fine Art, London
Purchased by the Mother of the Present Owner
thence by descent

Royal Academy, 1890, no.265
Loan Exhibition, Guildhall, London, 1895, no.10

STRUCTURE The canvas has been lined. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in good, very presentable condition. There are some very light early stages of cracquelure characteristic of age to the upper left of the paint surface. ULTRAVIOLET Ultraviolet light reveals some very light and minor scattered re-touching to the sky, on the left and right hand edges of the painting. There is also a small area of re-touching to the lower centre. Otherwise UV light reveals the painting to be in very good, original condition. FRAME Held in an ornate gilt wood and 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."

H.M.S. Blake was launched from Chatham Dockyard on 23rd November 1889.  She had a displacement of 9150 tonnes, was 399 feet long and sixty-five feet at the beam.  Her two 20,000 horse power propellers gave her a top speed of twenty-two knots and she was armed with two twenty-two tonne, nine inch guns, ten six inch guns and sixteen three pounders.  In 1889 under the command of Captain Alfred Leigh Winsloe she sailed to Sierra Leone and aided the surpression of a rebellion.  She was the flagship to America and the West Indian Station in 1895 before joining the Channel squadron commanded by Captain Bromley in December that year.

Along with H.M.S. Blenheim she formed the Blake-Class of armoured cruiser.  H.M.S. Blenheim also served with the Channel squadron until 1908 when she joined the Mediterranean squadron and was part of the expeditionary force at Gallipoli in March 1915.  By 1908 H.M.S. Blake was a depot ship to the 2nd and 11th destroyer flotillas of the Grand Fleet before being scrapped in June 1922.

The Blake Class succeeded the Orlando Class of cruiser and the differences were marked; one hundred feet longer, five knots faster, nearly 5000 tonnes heavier.  In this exceptional work Wyllie captures the grandeur of the vessel and the occasion of her launch.