Seascape with Man of War

Location

Country: France
City: Strasbourg
Place: UK Delegation to Council of Europe

Serres’ painting captures not only the precise structural details of the ships depicted, but also a sense of the environmental conditions and atmosphere. Although not a battle scene, there is nevertheless a feeling of drama, with the dark sea opening up before us. Countering this is the patch of light on the sea in the foreground, and the even brighter patch in the distance near the shore.

Dominic Serres, marine painter and nephew of the Archbishop of Rheims, was born in Auch, Gascony. He studied at the English Benedictine school at Douai but is thought to have run away and served with the Spanish fleet, before being captured and sent to England as a prisoner of war in c.1750. After his release, he painted views of country houses. In the late 1750s he moved to London, where he was a pupil of marine painter Charles Brooking. He established a reputation for battle scenes during the Seven Years War and the War of American Independence. In 1768, he was one of the founder members of the Royal Academy and in 1780 he was made marine painter to George III. He became librarian of the Royal Academy in 1792, shortly before his death.

Places

Subjects

seascape/coastal scene, wave, ensign (ship), ship, Man o'War

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

Dominic Serres (1722 - 1793)

Title

Seascape with Man of War

Date

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 34.00 cm, width: 51.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Sir Bruce Ingram, 1963

Inscription

verso tr: Lindely Spiller

GAC number

1450