Study of R-class and 'Queen Elizabeth'-class battleships at sea, with an observation balloon aloft RMG PW1349, William Lionel Wyllie, 1914

Study of r-class and 'queen elizabeth'-class battleships at sea, with an observation balloon aloft this study has a previous title as 'jutland', which seems unlikely from the disposition of ships included and the fact that no-one is in action and the guns all fore and aft, as far as can be seen. The ship on the left has to be an r-class battleship (the only single-funnelled type with tripod foremast and pole mainmast). The only other battleships with a tripod fore- and pole mainmast were the two- funnelled 'queen elizabeth'-class, and the 'canada': but 'canada' only had a short pole-main. The four ships in the foreground of this drawing are therefore a mix of r- and 'queen elizabeth'-classes and while some of these were briefly this close at the battle of jutland on 31 may 1916, between 21. 00 and 21. 15, at no time were they on the reciprocal courses shown here. It is perhaps more likely that what is shown is a grand fleet exercise. Date: 1914. Dimensions: 254 mm x 354 mm. Collection: Fine art.