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Description
The 'Victory' is shown centre foreground broadside, under full sail. She flies the red ensign, and the flag of Admiral of the Red. It is not clear what event is being commemorated, but in the background the ships at anchor are arranged in lines, while in the foreground, the ships under sail appear to be part of a procession.
This may be an interpretation of the Royal Review of the Grand Fleet at Spithead on 1 July 1791, when the 'Times' records that 'the Duke of Gloucester preceded by Lord Hood in his barge went out to Spithead'. They entered the two lines at the east end, going round the 'Magnificent' and were rowed down to the 'Victory', the yards and tops of the fleet being manned and the marines drawn up. On their coming aboard the Commander-in-Chief, the standard was hoisted at the maintop, when there was a royal salute from the whole fleet. They went afterwards on board the 'Hannibal'. The ships in the background are portrayed firing a salute. That said, the picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1792 as 'His Majesty's ship 'Victory' sailing from Spithead with a division from a grand fleet'. This suggests the alternative possibility that it derived from the brief scare called 'the Russian armament' in 1790 when the fleet mobilized but was quickly stood down.
Spithead is the sheet of water between the north-eastern shore of the Isle of Wight and the English mainland. It forms a deep, sheltered channel leading into Portsmouth Harbour and provides the main Naval anchorage outside the harbour for assembling fleets to sail, or for reviews.
Dodd was an English marine painter, engraver and ship portraitist who was a prolific recorder of naval actions in the American and French Revolutionary Wars. The painting is signed by the artist and dated 'R.Dodd 1791' on the stern of the boat in the foreground.
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See also
Biography of Robert Dodd
Other paintings by Robert Dodd
Ship views diagram
Sails diagram
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