BATTLE CRUISERS IN FILTHY WEATHER

For sheer impact this watercolour takes some beating! Its filthy weather with walls of water and blown spume everywhere: down this maelstrom of majestically big following seas, three of the King’s ships are rolling and corkscrewing their way, clouds of acrid coal smoke rolling from their funnels, green seas pouring off their upperdecks… In the foreground is a cruiser – for so the battle cruisers were then called- of the Invincible Class, probably HMS INDOMITABLE who, in 1910, was the first to have her fore funnel lengthened as suggested here (though its still not tall enough to prevent the compass platform from being choked out in this painting!). In company out to starboard and astern and largely hidden by the walls of water and their foaming crests are two battleships, class undetermined as the mast/funnel layout appear to be a hint of artist’s license!