"Such Sweet Sorrow" - HMS Victory, bearing the body of Lord Nelson, being towed to Gibraltar by HMS Neptune, 28th October 1805, a week after the Battle of Trafalgar

Oil on Linen Canvas

24 x 25 3/4 inches (61 x 91 cm)

Signed, lower right

Framed

SOLD

Lord Nelson’s great victory at the Battle of Trafalgar was one of the most complete and decisive in the history of naval warfare - but almost at the very moment when victory seemed assured, Nelson was mortally wounded.

The death of the great admiral was a terrible blow to the men of the British fleet and, when news of the battle was received, to the people of Britain. The title of Maarten Platje’s latest painting in his “The Hero” series, “Such Sweet Sorrow”, reflects this awful mixture of rejoicing and mourning. The men of HMS Victory essentially refused to give up the body of their fallen admiral and insisted that only his flagship was worthy of defending his body and bringing him back to England for a hero’s funeral.

Following the battle, the British ships were struck by a severe storm and in Maarten’s exceptional painting we see HMS Victory, badly damaged both in the battle and by the great storm, being taken in tow to Gibraltar by the 98-gun HMS Neptune.

COMMISSIONING MAARTEN PLATJE 

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 Maarten Platje, contact Charles Mayes cm@marineartists.co.uk and we will post or email you a free pack of information including our short guides "Commissioning a Painting from Maarten Platje" and "Price Guide and Timescale"

The commission process is very easy, straightforward and enjoyable