"First Blood: Captain Edward Pellew's HMS Nymphe defeats Cléopâtre in the first naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars, 18th June 1793"

Oil on Linen Canvas

11 3/4 x 15 3/4 inches (30 x 40 cm)

Signed, lower right

Framed in a fine gold frame with white wood slip

World-wide exclusive - only available from Marine Artists

Edward Pellew, born in Dover into a Cornish family, became one of the greatest British frigate captains. This exceptional painting by Maarten Platje shows Pellew’s 36-gun frigate HMS Nymphe (originally French-built and captured by the British in 1780) taking on the formidable French frigate Cléopâtre.

This quick and very fierce action – the epitome perhaps of a dashing frigate fight and a British victory – was notable as making the reputation of Captain Pellew and provoking wild excitement and celebration in Britain because it was the first naval victory of the French war.

Following the French Republic’s declaration of war against Britain in February 1793, two frigates were ordered to patrol from Falmouth to counter-act the actions of two French frigates, Cléopâtre and Sémillante, who were attacking British shipping.

Early on the 18^th of June Pellew’s Nymphe sighted Cléopâtre about twenty miles off the coast of Devon at Start Point and gave chase, soon overhauling the French ship whose captain, Jean Mullon, turned to give battle at about 6.15 a.m.

Both ships were more heavily armed than might have been expected; Nymphe carried perhaps twelve 24-pounder carronades on her upper deck while Cléopâtre is thought to have had forty guns of various calibres.

A very intense fight now commenced; around 7 a.m. Cléopâtre lost her mizzen mast and wheel – four successive helmsmen were killed at their post – and Mullon, her captain, was mortally wounded. Cléopâtre, losing control, swung into Nymphe and became entangled from which situation Pellew’s boarding parties stormed the ship and captured her.

When Nymphe brought her prize into Portsmouth on the 20^th, she and Pellew were welcomed with intense celebrations. The first naval triumph of the war seized the public’s imagination and King George III, picking up the mood of the country, knighted Edward Pellew at St. James’s Palace on the 29^th of June.

This painting is a study of a phase of the action, exploring options for a possible larger future painting.

To buy the original painting or reserve it contact Charles Mayes

cm@marineartists.co.uk +44(0)79 4179 8655

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A larger photograph / full description available on request

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