The Fleet Off the Coast, Beachy Head, c. 1790-1805. The breathtaking headlands of Beachy Head, the highest, most dramatic chalk sea cliffs in the United Kingdom, are depicted in this watercolour. A marine painter active during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, Atkins patriotically associated Britain’s identity with its coastal geography and famous navy. A fleet of sailing vessels is depicted offshore in full sail, suggesting a rare moment of the entire fleet’s departure.

---

Size: 5308px × 3949px
Photo credit: © Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1760-1810, 18th, art, atkins, british, century, cleveland, drawing, england, graphite, heritage, museum, painting, samuel, underdrawing, watercolour