ENGLISH SCHOOL, MID-19TH CENTURY

Studies of H.M.S. 'Spartiate'

Wash over pen and ink, laid down

Inscribed 'Spartiate 74' and 'E. Lent'

10 x 19in. (25.5 x 48cm.)

Spartiate was the last ship in Nelson's weather column at Trafalgar where she successfully fought the Neptuno amongst others. Passing in and out of commission thereafter, she was retired as a sheer hulk in 1842 and was broken fifteen years later. It's not clear when or why these sketches were made, but they show interesting contemporary perspectives of an historic ship. The union flag flown by her at Trafalgar was sold in these rooms on 21 October 2009, lot 53.