Sailors in a fight, 1798 (mezzotint)

Creator: Stothard, Thomas [artist]; Ward, William [engraver]; John Raphael Smith [publisher] Entitled 'Sailors in a Fight', this print is inscribed: 'To the British Navy this plate is respectfully dedicated by there [sic] obedient humble Ser[van]t. John Raphael Smith'. It is one of a set of four plates of effectively the same size and vertical format celebrating 'the British sailor', issued by Smith after Stothard with the same official 1798 publication date. They comprise three similar group shipboard scenes - 'Sailors in a Fight' (PAH7352), 'Sailors in a Storm' (PAH7353) and 'Sailors in Port' (PAH7355), and the rather different 'A Sailor's Return in Peace' to his family (PAH7354). The first two of 'Fight' and 'Storm' are mezzotints but for reasons yet to be explained the other two are aquatints. All were probably done from oils, though not necessarily finished ones. The oil of the 'Sailor's Return' (BHC1125) is probably a much more sketchy canvas last sold by Christie's South Kensington from the Arthur Ackermann and Peter Johnson gallery collection on 8 May 2008.