{"product_id":"32918","title":"\"HMS Rodney off Sword Beach; Normandy,  7th June 1944\"","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWatercolour \u0026amp; \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBodycolour \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eon Artist's Watercolour Board\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12 3\/4 x 21 1\/4 inches (32.5 x 54 cm)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSigned, lower right, \u0026amp; dated, lower right\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFramed\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHMS \u003ci style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif; font-size: 12pt;\"\u003eRodney\u003c\/i\u003e, launched in 1925, was one of Britain’s most famous battleships of World War II.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was designated as a reserve battleship for the bombardment covering the Normandy landings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Ian Lowe’s painting we see \u003ci\u003eRodney\u003c\/i\u003e about to commence her bombardment around 18.30 on the evening of June 7\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e. She had given a short bombardment the previous day and returned from Spithead to take station off Sword Beach on the 7\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the background we can see HMS \u003ci\u003eWarspite\u003c\/i\u003e firing. A Hunt Class destroyer passes to \u003ci\u003eRodney\u003c\/i\u003e’s port side and there is a flight of Martin Marauder bombers overhead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy this stage of her career \u003ci style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif; font-size: 12pt;\"\u003eRodney\u003c\/i\u003e was worn down and in need of refitting. The painting is a marvellous depiction of the ship in her state of battle-weariness and decay, showing her rusted sides and even the marks of a fatal collision with a landing-craft earlier this same day. However \u003ci style=\"font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif; font-size: 12pt;\"\u003eRodney\u003c\/i\u003e’s bombardment was lethal – she fired 132 16-inch shells and 99 6-inch ones. A German prisoner is reported to have said “…We can fight you, we can fight your tanks, but those naval guns are too much…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003eTo buy the painting or reserve it while obtaining a shipping quote from us\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003econtact  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003eCharles Mayes - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003ecm@marineartists.co.uk   +44(0)20 7352 7759\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003e - or buy direct through our secure wesite   VAT does not apply\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #005500;\"\u003eA larger photograph \/ full description is available on request\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"IAN LOWE (British, Contemporary)","offers":[{"title":"Framed Original Painting","offer_id":55616623706454,"sku":"-32918","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1048\/3050\/1206\/files\/Lowe_20-_20Rodney_202_20-_20large_202_20-_20stamped_bb1724be-9459-4988-8470-23e7024b0b89.jpg?v=1791279888","url":"https:\/\/marineartists.co.uk\/products\/32918","provider":"Marine Artists","version":"1.0","type":"link"}