Rare depiction of naval chase

DAVIDSON Fine Art in Totnes is currently showing a very important and rare painting by the late, great John Chancellor, one of only 75 oils in existence.

Chancellor, who was considered the finest marine painter of his generation, completed only 150 works (half oil, half watercolour) from his Brixham studio during his 13 year career as a professional painter before his untimely death aged just 59.

His work falls in to two distinct categories – his beloved merchant vessels featuring schooners, barquentines, trawlers and barges and the naval engagements of the Napoleonic era.

The latter works, large in scale and content, are his most important and sought after. John’s fascination with these battles led him to acquaint himself with their historical relevance to an

In Pursuit of Virginie, by John Chancellor academic degree. It was not unusual for Chancellor to spend as long on his research as in the execution of the painting. The resulting paintings are accurate snap shots of history with every detail true, from the ships rigging to the weather and sea state.

On the morning of April 20 1796, off the Lizard, a squadron of frigates under Sir Edward Pellew in Indefatigable sighted a strange sail and the Indefatigable, Amazon and Concord set course by S in chase. The spirited, two hour action which took place 15 hours later was not particularly significant, as the odds were so heavily weighed against the enemy, but the chase was one of the most exciting in naval history.

The painting, ‘In Pursuit of Virginie,’ shows the situation at about 6.45pm, when the race has been on for eightand-a-half hours.

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