Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Chantrey Bequest
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-lionel-wyllie-618" aria-label="More by William Lionel Wyllie" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">William Lionel Wyllie</a>
Battle Nile
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1899
Abu Qir Bay
adults
astronomy
battle
boat, rowing
countries and continents
destruction
Egypt
emotions, concepts and ideas
fire
group
groups
history
man
military
military
moon
Napoleonic Wars, 1796-1815
natural features (non-UK)
natural phenomena
night
Nile, Battle, 1 Aug 1798
objects
people
places
sailor
sea
seascapes and coasts
ship, sailing
ship, warship
shipwreck
smoke
society
times of the day
transport: water
universal concepts
weapon, firing / explosion
weapons
work and occupations
painting oil paint canvas
The Battle of the Nile
support: 1524 × 2743 mm
frame: 1900 × 3300 × 120 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1899
<p><b>N01697</b> THE BATTLE OF THE NILE 1899</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘W. L. Wyllie 1899’ b.l.
<br/>Canvas, 60×108 (152·5×274·5).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1899.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> R.A., 1899 (558); R.A., <i>Late Members</i>, winter 1933 (597).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge, G.C.B., <i>W. L. Wyllie</i>, <i>R.A.</i>, 1907, p.13 and repr.</p>
<p>Nelson's great victory in Aboukir Bay near the mouth of the Nile 1798 secured the Mediterranean for the British and the East from conquest by Napoleon. According to the note in Bridge, <i>loc. cit</i>.: ‘The picture represents the closing scene of the battle, lit up by the moon and the burning ships. The spectator is supposed to be looking down the line of ships to the south-east. On the left the French ship “Guerrier” is seen a complete wreck. Beyond is Nelson's flagship, the “Vanguard”, engaged with the “Spartiate” and “Aquilon”, while on the right the fight is still raging round the “Orient”, three-decker, which is a mass of flames. In the distance the “Culloden” is seen ashore on a reef. In the near foreground are the boats of the “Zealous” rowing to take possession of a prize.’</p>
<p>Wyllie also made an <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/e/etching" title="Glossary definition for 'Etching'"><span>etching</span></a> after this picture, which was published by Robert Dunthorne.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-09-23T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
Abu Qir Bay adults astronomy battle boat, rowing countries and continents destruction Egypt emotions, concepts and ideas fire group groups history man military military moon Napoleonic Wars, 1796-1815 natural features (non-UK) natural phenomena night Nile, Battle, 1 Aug 1798 objects people places sailor sea seascapes and coasts ship, sailing ship, warship shipwreck smoke society times of the day transport: water universal concepts weapon, firing / explosion weapons work and occupations