John Steven Dews

STRUCTURE Original canvas. The work appears in excellent original condition. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT Under UV light there appear to be no signs of retouching. FRAME Held in a gilt plaster frame, clean and ready to hang.
"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."

The oldest commissioned warship afloat, the USS Constitution was designed by Joshua Humphreys and launched at Boston in October 1797.  She first saw active service in 1803 during the First Barbary War but it was her extraordinary series of victories during the American War of Independence that earned her a legendary status that lasts to this day. 

Her first major engagement of the campaign took place on 19 August 1812 when, under the command of Isaac Hull, she encountered HMS Guerriere far off the coast of Massachusetts.  A ferocious action ensued.  Having lost her mizzenmast the Guerriere’s bowsprit became entangled with the Constitution.  The US ship’s crew was still largely intact and she continued to fire devastating broadsides into the British vessel.  The ships finally pulled apart, but with such force that Guerriere’s mainmast collapsed forcing her to surrender, following which the Constitution returned to Boston harbour to a hero’s welcome.  Her hull had stood up remarkably well despite the close action, earning the nickname ‘Old Ironsides’.

The following month Captain William Bainbridge took command of the Constitution and set sail in October for the British shipping lanes off Brazil.  On the 29 December she sighted HMS Java under the command of Captain Henry Lambert.  The Java was heading for the East Indies and carried the recently appointed Governor Hislop of Bombay, his entourage, and various important dispatches.  Although she had more than her full compliment of crew they were inexperienced with only one day’s gunnery drill.  In contrast her opponent’s gunnery was first class.  The initial exchanges took place soon after midday; Java had the initial advantage with the weather gauge in her favour.  Being a smaller vessel she was also considerably more manoeuvrable and for the first few hours of battle neither ship could inflict significant damage on the other. 

At around 2 o’clock with both vessels heading Southeast, Bainbridge wore the Constitution onto a matching course with the Java and fired a broadside.  The distance between them, around half a mile, meant this shot had little effect.  Arguably the moment captured in the present work, Bainbridge closed the gap between them putting his ship at great risk; a subsequent broadside from the Java took out the Constitution’s helm severely wounding Bainbridge in the process.  Refusing to leave his post Bainbridge continued to give orders and it was not long, in such close proximity, that the superior gunnery of the Constitution’s crew began to tell.  After repeated broadsides the Java lost a mast and mainsail, which caught fire from the blast of her own guns.  The vessels then became entangled during which time another of Java’s masts gave way and a sniper mortally wounded Captain Lambert.  Confusion on the British ship enabled the Constitution to withdraw and make working repairs.  By the time she returned the crew of the Java, now under the command of Lieutenant Chad, were still in disarray and had barely managed to clear the decks of sail.  A lethal raking broadside left Chad with no choice but to strike her colours.  

Captain Bainbridge declared the Java, which was by now little more than a hulk, unsuitable to take as a prize.  Instead he removed what was left of her crew along with her helm, which he used as a temporary replacement for his own ship, then set fire to the Java which soon blew up and sank.  He expressed great sorrow for the death of Captain Lambert whom he considered a courageous and noble adversary.

The present work celebrates the bicentenary of this legendary naval action.   With his unequalled eye for detail, and reminiscent of his seminal depiction of HMS Victory at the Battle of the Trafalgar, Dews captures the drama and ferocity of this famous duel.