A British frigate entering Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta

Born in Ochsenhausen, Germany in 1769, it is recorded that Schranz arrived in Minorca sometime between 1793-94. Captured by the British in 1798, although returned to Spain under the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, Minorca had become a British naval base. Many of Schranz's patrons were British naval officers and whilst there he concentrated on painting ships of the Royal Navy in the grand environment of the harbour of Port Mahon. However, once the British had captured Malta and developed a naval base there after the Napoleonic Wars, Minorca was phased out. Consequently, in 1817 Schranz moved to Malta where he continued to execute his views of Royal Naval ships lying in Grand Harbour, Valetta. He died there in 1839. His work is represented in the Royal Collection.