More Mystery From a Master Painter
a view of the launching of the grafton at deptford when their majesties were present
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A ship changes flags and more
There are problems, though, starting with the fact that the 80-gun Cambridge was launched in October 1755, Royal George didn't take the water until the following year. What happened? Cleveley often did this, using the same technique and a previous picture to depict another event. In the picture at right, he has substituted in a French ship while leaving many of the details from his previous work. Both the ship being launched and the one under construction on the right are virtually identical.What does this tell us as art detectives? That while the ships themselves are meticulously correct, the scenes that Cleveley the artist painted cannot be taken literally.
There are problems, though, starting with the fact that the 80-gun Cambridge was launched in October 1755, Royal George didn't take the water until the following year. What happened? Cleveley often did this, using the same technique and a previous picture to depict another event. In the picture at right, he has substituted in a French ship while leaving many of the details from his previous work. Both the ship being launched and the one under construction on the right are virtually identical.What does this tell us as art detectives? That while the ships themselves are meticulously correct, the scenes that Cleveley the artist painted cannot be taken literally.
Launch of the Cambridge at Deptford (1755)
John cleveley (The elder) c. 1712 - 1777
At first glance, these two paintings look very similar, and some features are almost identical. But the upper image shows a massive, 100-gun warship, the Royal George, anchored offshore in a crowd of smaller boats. These include a royal barge, just off the stern of the large ship, and a smaller ship with a single mast, identified as one of King George III's royal yachts.
At first glance, these two paintings look very similar, and some features are almost identical. But the upper image shows a massive, 100-gun warship, the Royal George, anchored offshore in a crowd of smaller boats. These include a royal barge, just off the stern of the large ship, and a smaller ship with a single mast, identified as one of King George III's royal yachts.