After Trafalgar: the sinking Santisima Trinidad, 1805

‘After Trafalgar: HMS Neptune and HMS Prince with the sinking Santisima Trinidad, 1805’ by John Lashbrook Tudgay (1798-1874). The painting – one the artist's finest large-scale works – is signed and dated 1859.

A 140 gun four-decker, the Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad was the flagship of the 18th century Spanish Armada and the largest and most heavily armed ship in the world when she was captured by the British Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21st, 1805. Having lost her main mast, the Santisima Trinidad was forced to surrender to Captain Fremantle of HMS Neptune. Three hundred and fifty crewman were saved from drowning before HMS Prince attempted to tow the stricken battleship back to England before being forced to scuttle her off Cádiz.

John Lashbrook Tudgay was a prominent mid-19th century English marine painter from a nautical family. His father John Sr. was a sailmaker based on the River Thames near St. Catherine’s Dock in the East End of London, and before becoming a professional artist John Lashbrook Tudgay worked as a ship’s chandler in Wapping. In early the 19th century this part of the Thames was a major docking area for international deep-sea vessels and several large decommisioned warships. Tudgay’s intimate knowledge of these ships is witnessed in the fine detail and accucracy that typifies his important naval battle scenes.

Today, paintings by John Lashbrook Tudgay can be found in the Royal National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, Auckland City Art Gallery in Australia, and the Peabody Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

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Dimensions: (framed) 109cm x 180cm (43” x 71”).
Dimensions: (canvas only) 91cm x 162cm (36” x 64”).
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Provenance: Circa 1970: Christie’s. Private UK collection.
Presentation: Newly commissioned handmade giltwood frame.
Condition: Very good. Newly professionally cleaned, restored, and re-varnished. Ready to hang.