A merchantman and other vessels off Castle Cornet, Guernsey

Thomas Whitcombe was one of the most talented maritime painters of his generation and did more than almost any other artist to record the naval side of the French Revolutionary Wars. He exhibited at the Royal Academy for most of the years between 1783 and 1824, and also at the British Institution in 1820. This picture shows Castle Cornet, Guernsey's ancient harbour fortress, which stood guard over St. Peter's port from the 13th Century until the 19th Century. The Castle was isolated on a rocky islet until it was connected to the mainland by a breakwater and bridge and was superceded by Fort George on the hill overlooking it to the south of the town in the mid 19th century (it is now a museum). Another version of this composition, of the same format and signed by the artist, is in the National Maritime Museum (see T. Archibald, Concise Catalogue of oil paintings in the National Maritime Museum, London, 1988, p. 437a). Whitcombe exhibited a picture entitled 'A Storm, Castle Cornet, Guernsey' at the Royal Academy in 1796 (no. 234), which may be identifiable with either this or the National Maritime Museum picture.