Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney (1719-1792) with French Captive Ships after the Battle of the Saints, 12 April 1782
Dominic Serres the elder, RA (Auch 1722 – London 1793)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1788 (on reverse)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
300 x 460 mm
Order this imageCollection
Ickworth, Suffolk
NT 851773
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney (1719-1792) with French Captive Ships, by Dominic Serres the elder, RA (Auch 1722 – London 1793), signed on a spar bottom left: D.Serres [half-obliterated, like date]; inscribed [signed?] on back: D.Serres / Pinxt Bath. 1788. Admiral Rodney in HMS Formidable, bringing in the Ville de Paris and two other French warships to Jamaica after the Battle of the Saints. Four large ships on choppy grey sea. Small boat with sail centre right, another ship in distance on left. Greyish landscape in far distance with harbour on right. Blue sky with grey-white clouds. At the islands of Les Saintes Admiral Rodney gained (1782) a great victory - the Battle of the Saints - over the French Admiral de Grasse, whom he captured with his ship and six other vessels. Unfortunately he was recalled before the news reached England and though he received a barony and a pension his career was over.
Provenance
Hon. Edmund Phipps posthumous sale, Christie's 25 June 1859, lot 71 (date given as 1781); bought by Farrer; thence by descent to the 4th Marquess (1863-1951), on the death of the 3rd (1834-1907); after his death accepted in lieu of tax by HM Treasury, and transferred to the National Trust in 1956.
Credit line
Ickworth, The Bristol Collection (acquired through the National Land Fund and transferred to The National Trust in 1956)
Marks and inscriptions
Verso: Inscribed on back: Lord Rodney Carrying the Ville de Paris into Port Royal, Jamacia
Makers and roles
Dominic Serres the elder, RA (Auch 1722 – London 1793), artist