RICHARD BARNETT SPENCER (BRITISH FL. 1840-1870), THE BATTLE OF THE NILE

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RICHARD BARNETT SPENCER (BRITISH FL. 1840-1870)THE BATTLE OF THE NILE, 1798, DESTRUCTION OF THE ORIENT, AFTER THOMAS LUNYoil on canvasWith inscription BATTLE of the NILE/Representing the situation of the fleet previous to Battle Orient on the right and further inscribed with identifying inscriptions of the ships (on a label attached to the stretcher)76.5 x 107cm (30 x 42in.)Provenance:Sale Christie's, London, 13 September 2018, lot 173 where acquired by the present owner. The victory at the Nile was the highly positive outcome of the unsuccessful attempt to stop Napoleon's invasion of Egypt which Nelson spent most of the summer of 1798 trying to prevent. Cruising the eastern Mediterranean in an attempt to locate Admiral Bruey's Toulon fleet, Nelson eventually arrived off Alexandria and, in the early afternoon of 1st August, sighted the French fleet at anchor in Aboukir Bay, about 15 miles to the west. Nelson realised that the enemy's ships were not cleared for action on their landward sides and gave orders to attack. It was a daring move as it already six o'clock in the evening by the time Nelson's fleet had crossed the bay and there were two hours of daylight remaining. The French, outgunned and unprepared, were decisively defeated and their fleet in the Mediterranean virtually annihilated. It was one of the greatest naval victory to date in an age of notable successes at sea. The huge French 120-gun flagship L'Orient was blown up about 10.00pm,, she had been on fire for some time before the blaze reached her powder kegs; the brilliant flash of flame was visible in Alexandria.

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