HMS Victory Portsmouth Harbour, sea scouts in foreground RMG PU8351

HMS Victory Portsmouth Harbour, sea scouts in foreground
A group of Sea Scouts launch a rowboat in this view of Portsmouth Harbour at low tide. The troops will row to Victory and make the Scout Promise in the formal Investiture Ceremony. Wyllie established the first Sea Scout troop in Portsmouth after his move to the area in 1907. Structures line the shore, and a mixture of working and pleasure boats sail in the harbour. This scene was taken from Wyllie’s studio, at the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour (for a related oil sketch see PAD0445). Technique includes drypoint.; Signed by artist.
Alongside the Victory is a reboilered torpedo gunboat of the Alarm class fitted with tall wireless masts. At centre is a single masted gaff-rigged cutter yacht. Across the centre right are a topsail schooner and a gull-rigged pilot/naval cutter. Moored on the right is a fishing cutter.
The Victory is visible in dry dock at the upper left at her temporary mooring off Haslar Creek as seen from the foreshore in front of the Round Tower at low tide. A supporter of Victory’s preservation, Wyllie often used her as his subject in paintings and etchings. Representations of Victory in the collection include her position in the Portsmouth dockyard (PAF0716, PAD8349, PAF2300), her restoration, (PAF1491, PAF1492, BHC3701), and the ship in sail (PAE3408, PAE3410, PAF1503). Victory in Portsmouth Harbour was a popular subject for other artists including William Frederick Mitchell (PAH9557), Graham Cliverd (PAF7952) and Charles H. Jordan (PAF7953).

W. L. Wyllie (1851-1931) was a British Marine artist. Born in London, Wyllie painted, drew, and etched Thames scenes throughout his life. He moved to Portsmouth in 1907, where he continued working, supported the restoration of the Victory and painted the Trafalgar Panorama. Early in his career Wyllie was an illustrator for The Graphic, and he became a member of the Royal Academy in 1907.