Whitcombe’s painting shows the beginning of the action at about 7pm, viewed from the north. On the extreme right the French battery on the Island of Aboukir fires on the nearest British ships. To the left of this is the anchored French line with the ‘Guerrier’ at the head with the British ‘Zealous’ engaging her on her right. Astern of the ‘Guerrier’, the ‘Conquérant’ is engaged with the British ‘Goliath’. The next French ship in the line is the ‘Spartiate’, almost obscured by Nelson’s flagship the ‘Vanguard’, identifiable by the blue flag at the mizzen and the three Union jacks. Beyond is the British ‘Theseus’. The British ‘Minotaur’ masks the French ‘Aquilon’ while to the left of her is the French ‘Peuple Souverain’ engaging the British ‘Orion’ being raked by the ‘Leander’. Next left, the British ‘Defence’ and Swiftsure’ engage the French flagship ‘Franklin’. Beyond and to the left the British ‘Bellerophon’ engages the ‘Orient’. In the extreme left background the British ‘Majestic’ engages the ‘Tonnant’ and in the extreme left foreground the British ‘Culloden’ is aground.