A depiction of an episode from the last major operation of the seven years war, 1756-63. It was part of england's offensive against spain when she entered the war in support of france late in 1761. The british government's response was immediately to plan large offensive amphibious operations against spanish overseas possessions, particularly havana, the capital of the western dominions and manila, the capital of the eastern. Havana needed large forces for its capture and early in 1762 ships and troops were dispatched under admiral sir george pocock and general the earl of albemarle. The force which descended on cuba consisted of 22 ships of the line, four 50-gun ships, three 40s, a dozen frigates and a dozen sloops and bomb vessels. In addition there were troopships, storeships, and hospital ships. Pocock took this great fleet of about 180 sail through the dangerous old bahama strait, from jamaica, to take havana by surprise. Havana, on cuba's north coast, was guarded by the elevated morro castle which commanded both the entrance to its fine harbour, immediately to the west, and the town on the west side of the bay. This is a view of the 'piazza' of havana under occupation, (a now unaccountable italianization in the received title, since it should be 'plaza' in spanish) showing the buildings and emptied-out open space bathed in brilliant sunlight. A group of three british sailors stand in shadow in the left foreground, with two more visible beyond the fountain. A platoon of soldiers in red jackets drills in the sunshine in the distance. The painting was one of a pair with 'the cathedral at havana, august-september 1762', bhc0417. For further details on the capture of havana and the other paintings in this series, see bhc0408. The series in fact consists of two groups, six larger paintings with naval emphasis, and five smaller ones (including this) which focus more on the army and the town. Since they are all of keppel family provenance, it is assumed that the naval ones were painted for augustus keppel, the naval second-in-command, and the others for his older brother george, earl of albemarle, the overall army commander. Object Type: painting. Date: circa 1762. Dimensions: height: 83.5 cm (32.8 in); width: 122.3 cm (48.1 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: National Maritime Museum. Dominic Serres the Elder - The Piazza at Havana
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