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One of a pair of paintings showing an incident from the Napoleonic War, 1803–1815. After their defeat at Trafalgar in 1805, the remnants of the Franco-Spanish fleet dispersed and sought safety to seaward. Off Cape Ortegal, north-west Spain, was a squadron of British ships under the command of Sir Richard Strachan with four ships of the line 'Caesar', 80 guns, 'Courageux', 74 guns, 'Hero', 74 guns, 'Namur', 74 guns and four frigates; 'Revolutionnaire', 38 guns, 'Phoenix', 36 guns, 'Santa Margarita', 36 guns, and 'Aeolus', 32 guns. Strachan's brief was to apprehend Captain Allemand's Franco-Spanish Rochefort squadron and when his frigates sighted a group of enemy ships he assumed that they were Allemand's. In fact they were commanded by Rear-Admiral Dumanoir-Le-Pelley who was trying to reach safety with his four ships of the line the 'Formidable', 80 guns, 'Mont Blanc', 74 guns, 'Scipion', 74 guns and 'Duguay-Trouin', 74 guns.
The artist was the second son of J. N. Sartorius (1759–1828) and belonged to an illustrious family of painters working in England. Francis and his brother C. J. Sartorius (active 1810–1821) became marine artists and exhibited a total of 17 works at the Royal Academy between 1799 and 1821. Francis's paintings are often reminiscent of the work of Dominic Serres.
Title
Strachan's Action after Trafalgar, 4 November 1805
Date
1807
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 54.6 x W 76.2 cm
Accession number
BHC0573
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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Action of HMS 'Arrow' and 'Acheron' Against the French Frigates 'Hortense' and 'Incorruptible': Beginning of the Action, 4 February 1805 National Maritime Museum -
Cutting Out the 'Curieux' at Martinique, 3 February 1804 National Maritime Museum -
Strachan's Action after Trafalgar, 4 November 1805: Bringing Home the Prizes National Maritime Museum -
Saving a Crew at Anholt Norfolk Museums Service -
Strachan's Action after Trafalgar, 4 November 1805 National Maritime Museum -
HMS 'Sappho' Capturing the Danish Brig 'Admiral Jawl', 2 March 1808: Ships Engaged National Maritime Museum - 4 more