"'I see no Signal!' - Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen; 2nd April 1801"

Oil on Linen Canvas

24 x 27 inches (61 x 68.5 cm)

Signed, lower right

Framed in a hand-finished gold frame

SOLD

No painter has depicted the ships, navy and career of Nelson more precisely and exhaustively than Geoff Hunt and this is his latest Nelson painting. It shows the day on which one of the great Nelson legends was born, that of his refusal to see his commander’s signal to disengage. Here are Geoff Hunt’s own detailed notes on the painting and on Nelson’s least-known battle – and it is a fascinating story:

“This battle contained the famous episode in which Nelson held the telescope to his blind eye, thus refusing to see Admiral Hyde Parker's signal to withdraw. But this scene is from near the beginning of the engagement, just as Nelson's flagship, HMS Elephant, centre foreground, is taking her place in the line ahead of other ships in his squadron. From the foremast is flying his command flag as Vice-Admiral of the Blue squadron, and from the mizzen his favourite signal, number 16, 'Engage the enemy more closely'. Each ship was ordered to proceed up the line to its assigned place with the leading ships dropping off first, and Nelson made use of a technique ('anchoring by the stern') for stopping rapidly in a desired location, just as he did at the Nile and was to order again at Trinidad in 1805, which entailed dropping an anchor attached to a cable led out through the stern rather than the bow. Here, Elephant has just dropped her starboard waist anchor in order to pull her up short ahead of the previous arrival (HMS Glatton, commanded by the notorious Captain Bligh).

The British ships visible, from left to right, are Polyphemus, Isis, Edgar, Ardent and Glatton. Others are still arriving, out of view to the left. As they came up they were immediately in hot action with the Danish defensive line, a miscellaneous collection of vessels including the old two-decker flagship Dannebrog, Commodore Fischer (at the extreme right), mastless battleships, frigates, small rigged vessels, and large rafts (radeaux) armed with heavy cannon. Beyond the Danish line are the fortifications of Copenhagen, with the city itself beyond.”

COMMISSIONING GEOFF HUNT

At Marine Artists one of our main specialities is commissioning great marine and historical paintings for clients and collectors all over the world.

To commission your own painting from Geoff Hunt, contact Charles Mayescm@marineartists.co.ukand we will post or email you a free pack of information including our short guides "Commissioning a Painting from Geoff Hunt" and "Price Guide and Timescale"

The commission process is very easy, straightforward and enjoyable.