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The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805: Beginning of the Action

Image credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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In the right foreground is the French ship ‘Bucentaure’ in starboard-bow view, with her mizzen mast and main topgallant mast shot away. In port-bow view and passing astern of her is the British ‘Neptune’, delivering raking fire. Astern of her and only half in the picture is the ‘Leviathan’ port-bow view. In the left foreground the ‘Santissima Trinidad’ is shown in port-bow view. Her main and mizzen masts and fore-topgallant mast are being shot away by the ‘Victory’, which is passing astern of her as she breaks the line. Only her stern, in port-quarter view, can be seen and her mizzen topmast is falling. Beyond her, also in port-quarter view, is the ‘Redoutable’, the stern of the ‘Téméraire' seen on her starboard side, the vessel engaged with the Spanish ‘Neptuno’. In the centre background is the ‘Euryalus’ frigate, in port-quarter view, and the bow of the ‘Royal Sovereign’ can be seen as she breaks the line astern of the ‘Santa Ana’, in starboard-bow view losing her main topmast. A mast and top with a yard and sail is in the water in the centre foreground.

National Maritime Museum

London

Title

The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805: Beginning of the Action

Date

1805–1842

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 57 x W 86.5 cm

Accession number

BHC0553

Work type

Painting

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National Maritime Museum

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