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English School, 19th Century Nailing your colours to the mast image 1
English School, 19th Century Nailing your colours to the mast image 2
English School, 19th Century Nailing your colours to the mast image 3
Lot 42

English School
19th Century
Nailing your colours to the mast

30 April 2025, 14:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £768 inc. premium

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English School, 19th Century

Nailing your colours to the mast
indistinctly signed and dated 'H. BELL 189?' (lower left), indistinctly inscribed 'Jack Crawford ?? Camperdown' (verso)
oil on canvas
45.4 x 54cm (17 7/8 x 21 1/4in).

Footnotes

The present work depicts a pivotal moment during the Battle of Camperdown, which took place on the 11th October 1797. During the height of the battle between the English and Dutch, the mainmast of Admiral Duncan's flagship Venerable was struck by cannon fire and the ship's colours (battle ensign) were brought down. In this period of naval warfare, the felling of a ship's colours could be seen as a sign of surrender.  To avoid such an interpretation and show willingness to fight to the end, the sailor Jack Crawford bravely climbed what was left of the mast and nailed the colours to the top, where it was visible for all to see.  This courageous act proved to be crucial to the battle and Duncan's fleet was eventually victorious.  

It's uncertain whether Jack Crawford was the first person to 'nail his colours to the mast', but evidently the turn of phrase wasn't known before his exploit, and it became widely used soon afterwards.

Additional information