28 x 9 1/4 inches (71 x 23.5 cms)

Price on Application

This original has been sold and is no longer available.

Prints of this may be available on: Maritime Prints.

Clearly identifiable as a clasic Frank Watson Wood of Portsmouth harbour entrance, this watercolour has all his hallmarks: a man-of-war coming in from sea with a paddle tug hovering off her starboard bow; a small naval  launch close by the quarterdeck, perhaps  about to do a transfer;  the packed Gosport ferry chugging  up the port side; a naval pinnace emitting a curl of white smoke sitting off an Admiralty buoy in the foreground; a minor warship lying to a buoy over to the left and a wealth of other fascinating detail.  These ships (still called cruisers in 1910) were of a type that was still very new so there would have been much interest in a painting like this of one of them. 

The battle cruiser is one of the 3 Invincible Class ships when they were at their most attractive - before the forefunnel was lengthened by 10 feet to try and reduce the occasions that the team on the compass platform were smoked out!  The identification and purpose of the flag at the dip from the foremast is unclear but could perhaps be associated with the tug:  flag at the dip - "Remain in close attendance and be prepared to be connected"; flag close up - "Come in to be connected"?