Study of four small naval steam vessels offshore with graphite studies of artillery firing RMG PV0016, William Lionel Wyllie, circa 1907

Study of four small naval steam vessels offshore with graphite studies of artillery firing the four vessels shown in the main drawing, proceeding in company , are naval picket boats/ pinnaces and/or harbour launches, presumably near a naval anchorage. The location is almost certainly spithead and this is the type of drawing (and vessel shown) which wyllie used for his large canvas entitled 'liberty men landing from spithead', now in the royal naval museum, portsmouth - though originally exhibited at the royal academy in 1908 as 'lord charles's liberty men' (i. E. From ships under wyllie's friend admiral lord charles beresford). The wyllie's had first known him when he was at chatham, and they were living nearby at hoo. They moved to portsmouth in 1906. The inscription top right , alongside a pencil sketch of coastal artillery firing, is an apparently unrelated memo: 'post cards/ ordered 3 gross / used 3 dozen'. Date: circa 1907. Dimensions: 253 mm x 355 mm. Collection: Fine art.