The Battle of St. Vincent, 14th February, 1797

One of Nelson's great actions; this shows the first British ships engaging the main Spanish force at around 1.50 pm. "HMS Captain" is seen in the distance.

Geoff Hunt writes: "This scene hinges on the actions of Nelson, then a commodore (having no fewer than four admirals superior to him actually present on the day).

In a characteristic combination of eagerness, daring and independence that bordered on insubordination, he ordered his ship, the Captain, 74 guns, to "cut the corner" on a rather slow fleet manoeuvre and so got into the action with the Spanish flagship, the 130-gun Santisima Trinidad, and at least two other first-rate battleships before the rest of the British fleet caught up with him.

I finally chose to paint the moment when the lead British ship, Culloden (centre, but masked by the foreground Blenheim) is about to reach the battered Captain (furthest right) before pressing on th the Spanish flagship (right centre).

In the confused fighting that followed, Nelson was to perform his well-known feat of capturing the 80-gun ship, the San Nicholas, and using her as a bridge to capture another even larger, the 112-gun San Josef.

The ship entering at extreme left is the 98-gun Prince George, which was to play a major role in knocking out the San Josef."

Signed and numbered limited edition print by Geoff Hunt PPRSMA.
Edition of 700, including 75 remarques.

Image size: 15 1/2" x 18"
Paper size: 21" x 23"