Study for 'Masters of the Seas' RMG PW1841, William Lionel Wyllie, 1914

Study for 'masters of the seas' a study for, or replica (possibly for reproduction) of the painting 'masters of the seas' which wyllie exhibited at the royal academy in 1915, and which is now in the national maritime museum's collection (bhc4167). It shows the ships of the 1st division of the 2nd battle squadron in line of battle against the setting sun. There has been debate as to whether the leading ship is hms 'audacious' or her sister ship hms 'ajax'. However, wyllie's study of 'audacious' in dock (paf1848) -which is itself based on a photograph- corresponds exactly with both this watercolour and the oil painting. Paf1831 is another related drawing. The ships astern of the 'audacious' are battleships of different classes, the 2nd battle squadron at the start of the first world war comprising the 'superdreadnoughts' 'king george v', 'ajax', 'centurion', 'audacious', 'monarch', 'thunderer' and 'orion'. 'audacious' herself was an early war casualty: on 27 october 1914 she hit a mine and sank off northern ireland, shortly after the squadron left lough swilly for a gunnery exercise. Study for 'masters of the seas'. Date: 1914. Dimensions: Sheet: 361 x 540 mm. Collection: Fine art.