| Brief Description |
This is a print of an original oil painting by William Heysham Overend (1851-1898), a Royal Academy painter of marine and military scenes. It was completed in 1891, 86 years after the Battle of Trafalgar when Viscount Lord Horatio Nelson, a Vice Admiral of the British Fleet, defeated the French near Cape Trafalgar, between Cádiz and Gibraltar. This decisive sea battle ensured Britain’s safety from the threat of a Napoleonic invasion and confirmed Britain’s naval supremacy.
The scene is tempestuous and bloody, and highly romanticised. The figure on the centre right is Nelson, showing his good side. (His arm was missing and right eye was blind from other major sea battles). He is flanked by his captain, Hardy, the recipient of Nelson’s famous last words, "Kiss me, Hardy", as he later lay mortally wounded on his flagship, the HMS Victory.
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