Pocock, Nicholas "To Captain Sir H.B. Neale Bart, of His Majesty's Ship St Fiorenzo the Honble Captain Herbert of the Amelia..."

Nicholas Pocock. "To Captain Sir H.B. Neale Bart, of His Majesty's Ship St Fiorenzo the Honble Captain Herbert of the Amelia... This Print representing their Engagement with Three French Frigates & a Gun Vessel aided by a Battery on the Shore, close in with Belleisle April 9th 1799".

London: N. Pocock, February 12th, 1801. 16 1/4 x 23 5/8 (image). Aquatint by Robert Pollard. Original hand color. Two old tape stains in top margin not affecting image. Else, very good condition. With decorative French mat.

A view of the action between the British ships St Fiorenzo and Amelia and three French frigates and a gun vessel off Belle Île, April 9th, 1799 during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802). On April 9th, 1799, two English ships the HMS St Fiorenzo and HMS Amelia sailed towards Belle Île, an island off the French coast of Brittany. The British vessels encountered the three French frigates. After a nearly two hour engagement, including the French shore batteries, the French broke away to take refuge in French ports.

The artist of this print, Nicholas Pocock (1740-1821), was one of the outstanding marine artists of his day and also made an important contribution to the recording of British naval battles of the early 19th century. The way in which he depicted his subjects reflects his knowledge of how these ships operated at sea. An excellent example of English naval prints of this period.