Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: HM Revenue & Customs, 100 Parliament Street

Interpretation about this artwork is under review

The Government Art Collection recognises its responsibility to artists, colleagues and all our audiences to represent the diversity of the UK and to embed anti-racist and equitable practices throughout our work. We are taking action to address inequality in the Collection and its interpretation.

Robert Havell senior, son of artist and publisher Daniel Havell, was born in Reading but moved to London as a child. After Robert launched his career, father and son collaborated on illustrations for Henry Salt’s ‘Twenty Four Views Taken in St. Helena’ (1809–10). However, the partnership was short-lived and Robert later established himself at premises in Fitzrovia. He married Lydia Miller Phillips and had a son, Robert junior. Robert junior and his father formed the firm of R. Havell & Son, working on numerous projects including ‘Birds of America’ for John James Audubon. The scale of this project led them to employ 50 additional staff and move to larger premises in Oxford Street. Robert senior died a year after the company expansion.

Places

Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic, Brazil

Subjects

sail, USS 'Constitution', HMS 'Java', seascape/coastal scene, sea, flag, Anglo-American War, 1812, ship, frigate

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving, aquatint

Artist

Daniell Havell (1785 - 1826)
Lieutenant Buchanan
Nicholas Pocock (1740 - 1821)
Robert, Snr Havell (1769 - 1832)

Title

Engagement of Frigates “Java” & “Constitution” [Plate 1]

Date

1812 to 1899

Medium

Coloured engraving and aquatint

Dimensions

height: 36.00 cm, width: 45.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased 1972

GAC number

9890