|
||
|
|
|
|
Naval Battle of Copenhagen
This hand-colored aquatint engraving, published by Peltro William Tomkins and based on a painting by John Thomas Serres, is a striking visual representation of the Battle of Copenhagen, fought on April 2, 1801, during the Napoleonic Wars. The British fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, engaged and ultimately defeated the Danish fleet and coastal defenses in one of the key naval engagements of the era.
The composition centers on the destruction of a Danish vessel, engulfed in flames and sending plumes of thick smoke into the sky. This explosion serves as the focal point, drawing the eye to the heart of the battle. To the left, British warships, including those flying the Union Jack, unleash broadsides, with cannon smoke billowing across the scene. The trajectory of cannonballs, arcing through the air, adds to the dynamic sense of action.
On the right, the Danish fleet and coastal batteries remain under siege, their ships still defiant with Danish flags flying, though clearly overwhelmed. Fortifications along the shore suggest the proximity of the battle to Copenhagen itself. In the foreground, the chaos of naval warfare is underscored by shipwrecked sailors struggling in the turbulent waters, clinging to debris or swimming for safety.
The Battle of Copenhagen was part of Britain’s strategy to neutralize the League of Armed Neutrality, an alliance between Denmark, Russia, Sweden, and Prussia aimed at protecting neutral shipping from British interference. The British attack sought to preempt Danish resistance and secure control over vital naval routes. Nelson, disobeying orders to withdraw by famously placing a telescope to his blind eye, pressed the assault and secured victory, leading to Denmark's eventual withdrawal from the League.
Serres, the son of Dominic Serres, a renowned maritime painter, infused the scene with meticulous attention to detail, characteristic of his naval depictions. Tomkins’ aquatint engraving enhances the dramatic contrasts between fire, smoke, and the cold blues and grays of the sea and sky, bringing the battle vividly to life. Hand-coloring further accentuates the visual impact, particularly in the fiery explosion at the composition’s center.
![[Whaling Operations] Pesca della Balena | Pesca del Pesce Sega](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/78472.jpg)
![[ Two Views ] A View of the Grand Fleet in the order of sailing under the command of Admiral Earl Howe, in 1790 Is dedicated by Permission to His most Gracious Majesty William The Fourth](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/108593.jpg)
