Items Similar to Thomas Luny, Hms Bellerophon Leaving Torbay with the Defeated Emperor Napoleon
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 13
Thomas Luny, Hms Bellerophon Leaving Torbay with the Defeated Emperor Napoleon
About the Item
Thomas Luny (British, 1759-1837) HMS Bellerophon leaving Torbay with the defeated Emperor Napoleon aboard, 26th July 1815, this oil on panel shows the crew manning the yards to bring in the sails, having just dropped anchor in Torbay, with another battleship anchored astern and a further ship under sail in the distance, the foreground with working boats approaching, signed and dated ‘Luny 1827’(lower left). In the original gilt-wood frame.
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Footnote: Despite a service career as illustrious as any fighting ship in the Royal Navy, Bellerophon is principally remembered as the vessel to whose captain Emperor Napoleon surrendered after Waterloo and which then conveyed him to Plymouth, via Torbay, on the first stage of his long journey into exile.
One of the fourteen ‘Arrogant’ class 74-gun Third Rates designed by Surveyor Slade in 1758, Bellerophon was built in Edward Greaves’ yard on the Medway at Frindsbury, near Rochester, where her keel was laid in May 1782. Launched on 17th October 1786, she was measured by her builder at 1,613 tons and was 168 feet in length with a 47 foot beam. Completed at Chatham in March 1787 at a total cost of £38,608, she was laid up for three years until fitted for sea in August 1790 and commissioned under Captain Thomas Pasley. By 1794 Pasley had been promoted to Rear-Admiral and Bellerophon acted as his flagship at the battle of the ‘Glorious First of June’ where she engaged the huge 110-gun Révolutionnaire alone for an hour-and-a-half before the Russell and the Marlborough came to her assistance. Because of the damage she had sustained aloft, Bellerophon had then to withdraw from the scene but her conduct at this opening fleet action of the War laid the foundations for what was to follow.
By the time Nelson located the French fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay on 1st August 1798, Bellerophon was commanded by Captain Henry Derby and when he took his ship in to engage the enemy she found herself pitted against Admiral Bruey’s 120-gun flagship L’Orient. In a fierce action exactly reminiscent of what had happened at the ‘Glorious First of June’, Bellerophon pounded her greatly superior adversary but was completely dismasted in so doing. Despite heavy casualties, including Captain Derby, she remained at her station and was the nearest vessel to L’Orient when the latter finally blew up during the night. Repaired and refitted, she was continually in action until Trafalgar where, under Captain John Cooke, she fought nobly, first against the combined fire of four enemy vessels, then in a spectacular duel with L’Aigle and, finally, with the Spanish Monarca which surrendered to her. Her gallant fight cost her the second highest casualty list at the battle and amongst the dead was Captain Cooke himself.
After extensive repairs at Plymouth, she returned to sea and, by the War end, it was said that “during the period 1793-1815, she saw more action than any other ship.” Her enduring claim to fame however came when, after fleeing the field at Waterloo, the defeated Emperor Napoleon made his way to Rochefort where, on 15th July [1815], he surrendered to Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon. Maitland had been sent to Rochefort when intelligence reached the Admiralty that Napoleon was planning to embark there for America; in the event, the Emperor chose to place himself under the protection of British law, whereupon Maitland sailed for England, Napoleon catching his final glimpse of the French coast (off Ushant) on 23rd July. The English coast was sighted the same evening and, early the next morning, Bellerophon anchored in Torbay where Maitland awaited his orders. As soon as news of the former Emperor’s arrival became known, presumably by means of a careless word ashore from one of the ship’s officers, large numbers of small craft packed with curious spectators made for the ship and provided a carnival atmosphere all around her. Two days later, on the 26th, Maitland weighed anchor for Plymouth where he and his celebrated passenger arrived within hours; Napoleon remained aboard Bellerophon for twelve days whilst the government decided what to do with him and, on 7th August, he transferred into H.M.S. Northumberland and embarked for St. Helena and exile. With the War over and the need for warships sharply decreased, Bellerophon was afterwards fitted out as a convict hulk and served thus for the remainder of her career, being renamed Captivity in 1824, until broken up in 1836.
- Dimensions:Height: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)Width: 23 in (58.42 cm)Depth: 0.1 in (2.54 mm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1827
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Lymington, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU973024369312
About the Seller
5.0
Recognized Seller
These prestigious sellers are industry leaders and represent the highest echelon for item quality and design.
Established in 1982
1stDibs seller since 2013
127 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 9 hours
Associations
LAPADA - The Association of Arts & Antiques Dealers
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Lymington, United Kingdom
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllAn HMS Bellerophon oak armchair, 1805
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
An HMS Bellerophon oak armchair, 1805. This oak chair was commissioned by Captain Cumby from the timbers of his famous ship Bellerophon. It is of rectangular form with an upright ba...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century English Armchairs
Materials
Brass
Thomas Whitcombe ‘Flora’
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
Thomas Whitcombe: ‘Flora’, this oil on canvas shows the action, within a gilt frame with a panel reading ‘British Frigate “Flora”, 36 guns commanded b...
Category
Antique 1780s English Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
$25,443
Thomas Willis: Shamrock III and Reliance Crossing the Line, America’s Cup, 1903
By Thomas Willis
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
Thomas Willis: Shamrock III and Reliance Crossing the Line, America’s Cup, 1903. This mixed media picture is oil on canvas with silk and velvet fabric embroidered with silk thread. I...
Category
Early 20th Century English Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
A small oil painting of a fishing boat leaving Calais Harbour by E W Cooke
By Edward William Cooke
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A rediscovered small oil painting of a fishing boat leaving Calais Harbour by E W Cooke, depicting a fishing boat from Trouville battling stormy seas as it a...
Category
Antique 1810s English Paintings
Materials
Paint
Pair of Watercolours by 'Albert' Gordon Thomas R.S.W
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A pair of watercolours by (Albert) Gordon Thomas R.S.W ( 1893-1970), one titled ‘Summer Afternoon Weymouth’showing a gentleman’s motor yacht in the foreground and the other ‘Yachts a...
Category
Vintage 1960s English Paintings
Materials
Paint, Paper
‘The Ark & the Dove off the Scillies with Lord Baltimore aboard’ Montague Dawson
By Montague Dawson
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
‘The Ark and the Dove off the Scillies with Lord Baltimore aboard’ by Montague Dawson, reputedly a commission for the White House, oil on board, showing the two ships of Cecilius Ca...
Category
Vintage 1960s English Paintings
Materials
Paint
You May Also Like
"Shipping Off the Coast" by Thomas Luny
By Thomas Luny
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Shipping off the coast by English artist Thomas Luny. Oil on canvas signed and dated 35' in the lower left. Nice period and possibly original frame.
Thomas Luny (1759–1837), born in Cornwall, probably at St Ewe, was an English artist and painter, mostly of seascapes and other marine-based works. At the age of eleven, Luny left Cornwall to live in London. There he became the apprentice of Francis Holman, a marine painter who would have a great and long lasting artistic influence on Luny: Luny remained until 1780 in Holman's London studio, which, was first situated in Broad Street, St. George's, and later relocated to Old Gravel Lane.
Examples of his work are exhibited at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, and at The Mariners' Museum in Newport...
Category
Antique 1830s English Victorian Paintings
Materials
Paint
Napoleon's Final Voyage: HMS Bellerophon on the Waters of Exile, 1872
Located in Langweer, NL
This original antique image is a print depicting the H.M.S. Bellerophon, a ship of the British Royal Navy. The print is rendered in a monochromatic color scheme with subtle hand colo...
Category
Antique 1870s Prints
Materials
Paper
Print of "Battle Of Iena" Depicting Napoleon's Defeat
Located in Queens, NY
Color landscape print in wood frame titled "Battle of Iena" Showing overview of Napoleon's defeat of the Prussians in 1806
Condition: Good; Wear consistent with age and use
Category
Late 20th Century American Victorian Paintings
Materials
Wood
HMS Sandwich
Located in New York, NY
Hand-picked by buyers at Ann-Morris Inc.
Category
Mid-20th Century English Paintings
Materials
Paint
$2,700
"Bellerophon and Pegasus" Striking Art Deco Painting with Male Nude Mythological
By Bryson Burroughs
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This remarkable scene depicting the moment when Bellerophon was about to lasso the flying figure of Pegasus after the creature paused for a drink below was painted in 1926 by Bryson ...
Category
Vintage 1920s American Art Deco Paintings
Materials
Paint
Leaving The Church By Jose Garcia Y Ramos
By José García Narezo
Located in Ongar, GB
Oil on panel titled Leaving The Church, By Spanish artist Jose Garcia y Ramos 1852-1912. Signed by the artist bottom right. Label with provenance o...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Spanish Paintings
Materials
Paint
