The Battle of the Glorious First of June, 1794; the 'Defence' under tow by a frigate RMG PU8701

The Battle of the Glorious First of June, 1794; the 'Defence' under tow by a frigate
One of Pocock's on-the-spot sketches of the aftermath of the Battle of 1 June 1794, inscribed lower left 'Frigate towing Defence'. The ‘Defence’ is shown in stern view, under command of James Gambier, and was totally dismasted in action, primarily with the 'Achille'. In 1811 Pocock was to paint a small oil for Gambier of the engagement (BHC0474). The three-decker on the right in this drawing may be Howe's flagship 'Queen Charlotte'. Pocock appears to have been present at the Battle of 1 June 1794 on board the 'Pegasus', one of the frigates in Howe's fleet, which served to repeat Howe’s signals during the battle from an observing position to windward. In this Pocock was following the precedent of van de Velde the Elder some 140 years earlier, and it is the first instance that we know of a professional artist accompanying a fleet with the intention of documenting a battle since van de Velde the Elder. Subsequently Pocock made paintings of the battle, based on the sketches he took on the spot, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1796 and 1797. One of these, showing the duel between 'Brunswick' and 'Vengeur', is in the Museum's collection (BHC0471). Exhibited: NMM Pocock exhib. (1975) no 74.