"Final Bid" - H.M.S. Naiad, 1798

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 500

Image Size: 19 1/4 x  24 inches (49 x 61 cm)

She bore up to the south’d dead before the wind, to hurl the whole weight of her broadside into Naiad's rigging in the hope of disabling her. This is the instant in the picture...H.M.S.Naiad's twenty-seven and a half hour pursuit of a French frigate...

"The chase started noon 22nd August 1798 until the Frenchman's final bid to escape twenty seven and a half hours later."

During the Napoleonic wars, the role of the lone patrolling frigate was a vital one, and in certain key areas, a very busy one. It is only necessary to read the log of such a ship over quite a brief period to realise that seldom did a day pass without a sighting and a chase. On some days four or five vessels would be chased, brought to, examined and allowed to proceed. Sometimes a chase would prove to be an enemy and an action and, hopefully, a capture would follow.

This marvellous Limited Edition Print shows the climax of such a pursuit by  H.M.S. Naiad in August, 1798. She was a fine ship, rated as a 38 and launched only the year before. She was patrolling off Cape Finisterre on the NW coast of Spain. This was always a busy area, for although at this time latitude could be found from celestial observations, longitude was always uncertain after a long ocean passage. Any conspicuous landfall was invaluable before proceeding to a destination, therefore, and Cape Finisterre was ideal for vessels bound to European ports.

The story behind the Limited Edition starts at noon on the 22nd. While boarding a Venetian merchantman bound for Rotterdam, a sail was sighted on the horizon in the WNW running to the east'd and a close eye was kept on her. At 2pm while examining a Danish merchantman from Alicante to Rotterdam, the stranger was passed to the nor'd, still standing to the east'd before a freshening westerly wind. The Dane was cleared to proceed at 3pm, by which time the stranger was on the eastern horizon and all sail was set after her. After three hours of hard sailing the distance between them had closed to about seven miles and excitement mounted when she was identified as a frigate of about the same size.

At 6.30pm Naiad hoisted Spanish colours (hoisting false colours was an accepted practice at this time). The stranger then hoisted French colours, bore up and headed south-eastwards. Naiad, hoisting British colours, bore up after her, and the chase was on in earnest. The wind was freshening with 'small rain' and both vessels were thrashing along under a great press of sail.

By 8pm the chase was only five miles distant, but the visibility was deteriorating and she could only just be made out ahead. At 9.30pm, although it was nearly dark, she could still be seen, for she was only 3 miles away. Then suddenly Naiad's main t'gallant mast carried away and in no time the enemy was lost in the darkness and driving rain. It was now blowing hard and a couple of reefs were pulled up in the tops'ls.
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"From Under Their Noses" - H.M.S. San Fiorenzo and H.M.S. La Nymphe, 1797

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 15 3/4 x  35 inches (40 x 89 cm)

At dawn on this bright, brittle morning of 9 March 1797, two British frigates, the San Fiorenzo and La Nymphe, to verify their rather uncertain reconnaissance of the previous evening, carried the last of the flood right up into the Goulet to assess the size of the French fleet anchored in Brest. There, not four miles distant from the enemy, they counted 14 line-of-battle ships and 16 frigates. Such daring probes by British ships into French harbours were almost commonplace at this time.

Mission completed, they tacked and stood out to sea, reefing their topsails to the freshening NNE wind. Shortly after clearing St Mathieu Point, they sighted two sail coming from the WNW. These were the French ships Resistance and Constance returning after landing a rather curious expeditionary force on the Welsh coast and, having avoided the Channel fleet, were now standing in to their home port. The Constance was a 22-gun corvette and the Resistance was a very fine frigate, mounting 44 guns, eight of which were 32-pounders.

The British ships were both originally French and in all probability this completed the illusion that they were friendly, for the Constance and Resistance made no attempt to close with one another and when the British vessels, which had got nicely to windward, suddenly wore and shaped for the Resistance which was leading, the French ships were a good mile apart and quite unable to put up a combined defence. This enabled the San Fiorenzo and La Nymphe to concentrate their combined bombardment on the Resistance. Fifteen minutes of this battering was enough and she struck her colours in time for the British vessels to turn their attentions to the little Constance who was by then coming on the scene. This is the moment of the painting.

The Resistance on the right has just 'struck' and let run her topsail halyards and her ensign in surrender. La Nymphe (Captain John Cooke), in the left foreground having put a party off to take possession, has let fly her jib sheets and backed her mizen topsail to present her broadside which she is discharging into the little Constance on the extreme left of the picture. San Fiorenzo (Captain Sir Harry Neale), centre background, has backed her main topsail to reduce speed and has brailed her driver and backed her jib to come to starboard to deliver her broadside also into the Constance. In a moment both frigates will let draw to pace the Constance in a running point-blank bombardment. 
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"The sail training ships Sir Winston Churchill and Malcolm Miller"

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 15 1/4 x  22 1/2 inches (38.5 x 57 cm)

In 1971 John Chancellor was skippering his survey vessel Exact and occasionally painting local trawlers as commissions when he decided to embark on two paintings entirely for his own satisfaction. The paintings were of the sail training ship Royalist, and the image you see here of the two sail training ships, Sir Winston Churchill in the foreground and the Malcolm Miller astern of her.

It was the very enthusiastic response to this fine painting which persuaded John Chancellor to finally swallow the anchor and start painting for his hugely successful first exhibition in 1973.

Unlike the later work no detailed notes about the research for the painting are available although John Chancellor did record the fact that it was an imaginary setting somewhere in the Channel approaches. Thus he set the standard for many of his major works which were to follow, totally convincing sea and weather conditions painted with authority and conviction.

Both ships are 300-ton three-masted topsail schooners, and have gaff and topsails on the fore and main masts and a Bermudian mizen, as well as square sails on the fore, and the tops of their main masts are 115 feet above the water line.

In the painting the Sir Winston Churchill is shown in the foreground. She was completed in 1966. The Malcolm Miller is named after the son of Sir James Miller, a former Lord Mayor of London and Lord Provost of Edinburgh whose family donated half the building costs. She was commissioned in October 1967. 
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Taking Bude After a Blow" - the ketch Ceres

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 10 1/2 x  16 1/2 inches (26.7 x 42 cm)

The entrances of most North Devon and Cornish harbours were treacherous for sailing vessels except in quiet weather. The reason for this is the persistent groundswell, a feature of this coast, which today provides ideal conditions for young surfers to enjoy the sport.

The West Country term to 'take' a harbour is no idle quirk of phraseology, but a meaningful description of something which at times called for considerable experience and skill. In this little watercolour the Salcombe-built ketch Ceres is entering Bude, and it is easy to see how the persistent groundswell could give rise to a bad broach at the wrong moment and put her on the rocks.

One more swell and she will have shot into the quiet water behind the breakwater and then it will be a question of scrambling off all sail to get her way off her. The painting depicts a typical volatile weather situation. A short, sharp south easterly gale off the land has blown itself out and veered to squally south westerlies. Ceres, having battled her way from some northern port, appears somewhat stunted with her topmast still struck and main and mizen still reefed. Conditions at this entrance during, or immediately after a south westerly gale, are extremely dangerous.
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"In Pursuit of Virginie" - H.M.S. Indefatigable gives chase

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 17 1/4 x  26 inches (44 x 66 cm)

On the morning of the 20th April 1796, off the Lizard, a squadron of frigates under Sir Edward Pellew in the Indefatigable sighted a strange sail and the Indefatigable, Amazon and Concord set course W 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.

This wonderful Limited Edition Print shows the situation at about 6.45 pm. The race has been on for 8½ hours and the excitement is mounting. Although there is not much swell yet, the wind is now Force 6 and Indefatigable, with every stitch set, is leaving her consorts astern. Making a good 12-knots, she is slowly gaining on the Frenchman. Seamen can be seen on deck and aloft tending and improvising her gear to keep all sails drawing full. Hammocks are being stowed in the netting and with a thought to old England and a bit of prize money, everything is ready for action!

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Tubby Blake's Yacht" - a sailing barge

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 10 5/8 x  15 1/2 inches (27 x 39.5 cm)

As a painter of the sailing barge Chancellor is uniquely placed; he was one of the last generation of men to be involved in sailing on our rivers and coasts as a means of transport and many of his works have been inspired by vessels or characters he remembers from this period. 

This Limited Edition Print shows a sailing barge in a tranquil river scene, skippered by an old ruffian, Tubby Blake, who would not wash. Such was his odour that no-one would sail with him as mate and Tubby performed incredible feats of seamanship handling his barge alone! 
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Frigate Patrol" - H.M.S. Indefatigable, 1796

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 17  x  21 5/8 inches (43 x 55 cm)

In 1796 the western approaches were effectively patrolled by two powerful frigate squadrons. One of these was commanded by Sir Edward Pellew in the Indefatigable, which he had joined in 1794.

She is seen here, having rounded Ushant, running before a south-westerly breeze along the north Brittany coast with her squadron spread out in a search path. The Indefatigable was originally a 64 but was cut down by one deck and re-rated as a 44-gun frigate. These ships were fast and powerful and could be readily distinguished from other frigates of the period.

Sir Edward Pellew commanded for her over four years, during which time she distinguished herself in a number of celebrated actions.
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"A Perfect Hurricane" - H.M.S. La Prompte, 20 guns, 1798

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 20 1/4 x  26 inches (51.5 x 66 cm)

Throughout 1798 the little 20-gun La Prompte was stationed in the West Indies. On 21st September, when on passage to Bermuda for stores, she captured a French schooner, the Courier du Cap and after taking all her people prisoner and putting a prize crew aboard, both vessels continued towards Bermuda.

On the evening of the 23rd, the wind began to freshen and by midnight was blowing a full gale. The following morning conditions had worsened and La Prompte battened down and sent down her fore- and main top gallant yards and masts. By now the prize ship was flying a distress signal and closing within hail, it was learned she had sprung a leak. By now it was blowing a severe gale from the ESE and as there was a heavy sea running. There was little hope of taking the men off her, so it was decided that both vessels should bear up and run back towards New Providence.

The weather continued to deteriorate into the morning. At 10 o'clock the prize's mainmast was seen to go over the side and at 3pm she went down with all hands. This was agonising for those aboard La Prompte as the prize ship had been manned almost entirely by men from La Prompte, some of whom had been comrades for four years. Despite the conditions, she remained in the area hoping for survivors, but she was powerless to get to windward and every minute drove her further from them. Although the situation was hopeless, they could not bring themselves to leave the scene.

At 5pm, when it was thought the storm was at its height, the wind seemed to explode to double its strength. A hurricane had struck. The storm mizzen staysail at once blew to pieces and although her rig was snugged down, with no topgallant masts or yards aloft and not a stick of canvas set, she was held down practically on her beam ends by the weight of wind in her rigging. Now her situation was desperate too, for she was making water and would sooner or later capsize. Immediately the helm was put hard up and an attempt was made to set the storm fore-staysail to get her before the wind, but it blew to atoms before half up. The fore-yards were then trimmed and the foresail loosed, but it instantly burst into a thousand ribbons and the ship still lay beam on, hove down by the wind.

Captain John Spread then exercised a fine piece of forthright seamanship and ordered the mizenmast to be felled. Not only did this reduce the windage aft, but as the ship drifted to leeward of the wreckage, so the remaining cordage still attached helped to tug her stern to windward like a sea anchor. This is the moment of the painting.

The sequel to this painting is  "Survived".

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Day of the Men" - Les Terreneuvas, the French Grand Bank barquentines, depart St. Malo

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 20 1/4 x  26 inches (51.5 x 66 cm)

One of John Chancellor's earliest and most vivid memories was an incident when, as a five year old living on the north bank of the Tagus, he shared the excitement of the adults around him at the spectacle of a huge fleet of schooners and square riggers setting sail to fish the Grand Banks.

Years later, researching material for his paintings, this childhood memory drew him to the history of these fishing traditions and he was probably the only highly celebrated maritime artist to have a personal memory of these majestic fleets under sail.

The picture shows the departure from St. Malo of les terreneuvas, the French Grand Bank barquentines in the 1920s.

Many small craft filled with local people are milling about to bid them farewell. Ahead of them is the long voyage across the Atlantic and many months of arduous and hazardous fishing for cod in the little dories which can be seen stacked on deck.

John Chancellor's reputation as a marine artist owes much to his ability to astonish us with heavy weather scenes. Here, by contrast, is a delightful sunny day, the vessels beautifully lit or partly in silhouette, a wistful albeit poignant moment with so many local men leaving their homes for many months. 

 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Easterly Haze" - the frigate H.M.S. Endymion and other shipping

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 17 3/4 x  25 3/4 inches (45 x 65.5 cm)

Occasionally, while ships were peacefully at anchor in Torbay, Devon, the wind would come easterly and the scene would change dramatically. Even with a moderate breeze the lightering of stores would become difficult. Force 5 would find ships snatching and sheering at their cables and it would no longer be prudent to remain. The brute force of getting anchors and making sail would follow and possibly a couple of hours of hard sailing to beat out of the bay.

This painting illustrates just such an occasion. It is early afternoon. The wind is easterly - a good force 6 - and the usual haze (known locally as 'Easterly Haze) is in evidence. The vessels have got their anchors and are making sail. All have two reefs pulled up in their topsails and light canvas is not being set. Once round Start Point, however, the reefs will be shaken out and possibly topgallants set.

The frigate in the foreground on the port tack standing towards Berry Head is the Endymion (Captain Charles Paget). Her starboard anchor is two blocks at the cathead and will soon be stowed, the foresail has just been loosed, the tack is being hove down and soon the sheet will follow. To windward of her is a 64 just setting her mainsail and beyond her again is a 74. 
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Spring Tide Freight"

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 10 1/2 x  14 1/2 inches (26.5 x 37 cm)

"It's a favourite of mine. I suppose there's a certain amount of nostalgia in it……" said John Chancellor of this work, having lived on and sailed a Thames sailing barge for eleven years.

The picture shows a barge picking her way up a very shallow, narrow creek, to a typical rural loading site. To many it is a surprise to learn that some of the places where barges had to go were so deep in the heart of the country that there was very little water in the creeks except on the big Spring tides, and therefore could only go to these loading sites on such occasions. Hence the title of the painting.

This scene shows two barges working their way up a typical creek. There is a little jetty where local boats and punts would go. The barges are coming up in a very gentle south westerly breeze and if you look very closely, you will see the mate standing with a huge setting boom helping the barge along, manoeuvring through the narrow channel.
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Coasting" - the Tamar sailing barge Shamrock

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 13 1/4 x  22 3/4 inches (33.5 x 58 cm)

This beautiful Limited Edition Print shows the Tamar sailing barge Shamrock standing across Start Bay, Devon near the mouth of the River Dart. Although these vessels worked principally within the river limits, they would occasionally make coastal passages in summer.

Shallow draft vessels such as these, designed to work up rivers and creeks, would only make coastal passages in settled weather for it would not do for them to be caught out in heavy weather.

When sailing empty, these vessels were poor performers to windward and when loaded, had so little freeboard they would be constantly awash in bad weather.

The fact that Shamrock - the only surviving Tamar barge - can be seen today in her home waters lying alongside Cotehele Quay is the result of the joint efforts of The National Trust, the National Maritime Museum and several companies and private donors who contributed to her restoration.

Shamrock is portrayed with a background of the stretch of coast at the entrance to the River Dart, showing the lands of Higher Brownstone Farm to the east of the entrance, which has been acquired by The National Trust. 
 

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed 

"Survived" - H.M.S. La Prompte, 20 guns, 1798

-- JOHN CHANCELLOR (British, 1925 - 1984)

Limited Edition Print 

Edition of 850 (Each print is numbered and bears the publisher's official embossed stamp)

Image Size: 20 1/4 x  26 inches (51.5 x 66 cm)

This great image is of the sequel to the desparate events described in our previous Limited Edition Print "A Perfect Hurricane" (the two prints are available as a pair at a reduced price).

Immediate disaster had been averted, but the hurricane was to blow for another ten hours. Darkness was now upon La Prompte and seas were becoming mountainous. As the night wore on conditions became worse. The stern dead lights were smashed, seas were bursting in and running the length of the gun deck and not a bulkhead still stood.

Miraculously the boat lashings held and none was lost. At 3 am she was knocked down on her starboard beam-ends, shifting the ballast in the hold and throwing the provisions casks into crazy confusion. Now with a heavy starboard list it seemed she could not possibly survive - then, not half an hour later, when it seemed the little ship could take no more, the wind quite suddenly eased.

This moment is the subject of 'Survived'. It is just after sunrise; the little La Prompte, still with a slight list and much water yet to be pumped, is no more than drifting before a moderate breeze. A heaving swell is all that remains of the tempest. With no mizen mast, the main topmast and topsail yard gone, not a stitch of sail left and the main yard swinging crazily with no lifts or braces, she appears all but derelict.

Men are already aloft. Some are cutting away the rags that were her sails while others on the main yard are rigging new lifts and braces. Some are on deck sorting the tangled cordage. The work of re-rigging and mending new sails continued throughout the day and by 7 o'clock, she was able to set her courses and shape for New Providence with a WNW breeze

Shipping: UK £4.00 - EU £7.00 - USA & Rest of World £8.50

(for any number of prints to the same address)

Prints are supplied unframed, shipped rolled in strong cardboard tubes

Photographs and images: we ensure that images on our site are faithful to the originals but point out that slight colour variation can occur according to the screen on which they are viewed