The interned German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, with HMS 'Carlisle' and 'Blonde' RMG PW2124, William Lionel Wyllie, 1918

The interned german high seas fleet at scapa flow, with hms 'carlisle' and 'blonde' signed by the artist and inscribed 'scapa flow / the german fleet / with carlisle and blond [sic]', lower right. This is scapa flow between november 1918 and march 1919, since the light cruiser 'carlisle' (with a hangar for aircraft built into her bridge) was completed on 16 november 1918 and left the uk in march 1919. It is not certain whether the ship arrived at scapa while wyllie was there on the 'revenge' as a guest of admiral sir charles madden in november-december 1918, but that is perhaps the most likely possibility. On the right is the old scout cruiser 'blonde' launched on 22 july 1910. The german ships in the background cannot be identified. Wyllie was a master of shwing flocks of seagulls in flight, and did a number of studies at scapa incorporating them at this time. Date: 1918. Dimensions: Sheet: 284 x 444 mm; Mount: 480 mm x 630 mm. Collection: Fine art.