Rejoining the Squadron

[anteros_lmc]

The broadband repair chap has done his job admirably and I am back afloat online :) So this seems like an appropriate point to share this gorgeous picture of the Bloody Indy which my clever partner found towards the end of last year.



This beautiful watercolour, HMS Indefatigable joining other ships of the squadron offshore, is the work of JT Serres who served as Admiralty artist with the Channel Fleet between 1799 and 1800. During this period Serres spent some time aboard the Indefatigable, though sadly after Pellew had been ordered to leave his beloved frigate, and "promoted" to the ship of the line Impetueux. Serres' name may be familiar as he has made several appearances in fic written by both nodbear and I.

Although Serres' oil paintings regularly sell for upwards of £30,000, this little watercolour, which measures just 6 x 9 inches, went for only £2,040 when it sold at auction by Christie's of London in 2005. I can't tell you how much I wish I had known about this at the time :}

Comments

[elin-gregory.livejournal.com]

Lovely painting. I've tried but doing the rigging - even with a rigger - is beyond me. Serres and his ilk must have had an absolute knowledge of their subject and incredibly steady hands.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

That's the thing I adore about Serres. You can tell he spent time on these ships, even his sketches appear full of life and detail.

Although I must say, if your icon is one of your own endeavours then it appears you got a grip of the rigging admirably! Have you got a larger image you'd be willing to share? I'd love to see it in more detail :)

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

So serene. I love the eay the light hits the sails with gold and shadows. And look at that big long pennant.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Isn't it gorgeous? Partner and I were wondering about the length of that pennant. It must have been huge!

There is something so realistic about Serres sketches. You can almsot imagine being there, standing on the deck. Makes me think of Horatio "Don't you want to get back, hmm? Stand on the deck of the Indy? Hear the wind in the rigging?"

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it was the paying- off pennant. It would have reflected how long since they had been home.

In the USN it is flown on the way home. I think the RN only uses it for decomm, now. But it was more widely used in Serres day. It a lovely and moving thing to see.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I've never heard of the paying-off pennant before! What a lovely tradition, thank you for mentioning it. Such a shame it seems to be dying out in the RN.

It's not clear where this scene was painted. I had presumed it was off Brest but it could be off Plymouth or Falmouth, in which case it could well be a paying-off pennant. The ship in the background seems to be flying one too.

[sharpiefan (from livejournal.com)]

There was an episode of the UK version of the Antiques Roadshow on recently, where they went Down Under... and one of the items was the paying-off pennant for one of the Trafalgar ships - I am ashamed to say I cannot remember which one, though it was possibly Mars.

It was unrolled right across the floor and at one foot per year of her commission and hand-sewn by the sailors themselves, it was an amazing thing to see. It was at least twenty feet long.

(If that episode comes on again, I'll post more about it over on Dreamwidth.)

And yes, it would have been flown on her final voyage home, unlike her commissioning pennant, which is what I think is shown in this particular painting, to show that the ship is in commission. No, I'm sorry, I don't know the actual difference between the two, apart from possibly the length.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Found it! It was the paying off pennant of HMS Ville de Paris, Master Cass Halliday. Halliday had previously been the master of HMS Orion at Trafalgar.

I'd love to have seen it! Let me know if it comes on again :)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's lovely. What Elin said about the rigging reminds me of the toy ship I made for the kid, and how I sat there with a spool of thread and the frontispiece of Master and Commander, trying to get it RIGHT.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I've seen prints of most of Serres' works from the time he spent with the Inshore Squadron, but this one was new to me so I got very excited!

I had fun trying to rig a playmobil schooner one Hogmanay while I was three sheets to the wind. I got there in the end but it required much squinting ;)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Waaaaaant! And I'd have squandered daughter's inheritance to get it! Probably just as well it that is was safely sold before I came across it :}

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Oh, very nice.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Isn't it bonny? :)

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

Glad to have ee back, ma'am. Sad to report that Midshipman Parks has 'run'.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Sad indeed. But did he jump or was he pushed? :/

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Not sure what the 'buzz' is but it does smack of "There's a revolver in that draw, Carruthers".

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

There's a very good interview which Johnny Beattie here.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I like John Beattie (although he wasn't fair when he sat on that court martial in Kingston!)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I like John Beattie
Me too. He's always worth listening to. I see your man Owens was in Glasgow tonight. Warriors did well.

although he wasn't fair when he sat on that court martial in Kingston!
See that brush? That's how daft you are ;)

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Warriors did very well. (Thank you Sky TV for letting me watch BBC2 Wales.) Owens was lovely as ever.

LOL to the brush.