A Royal Navy frigate engaging and chasing a pirate lugger off the south coast

Born on the Isle of Wight in May 1768, Thomas Buttersworth followed the tradition of English marine painting that had derived from the work of the van de Veldes, using a low horizon and concentrating on the effects of light and air on his subject. His ability to portray ships with great accuracy stemmed from his own naval career, from 1795 to 1800, during which he saw active service off the Spanish Atlantic coast. Buttersworth drew on these experiences in his early work, typically painting large scale naval battles. However, as his career progressed, Buttersworth preferred to concentrate on ships portraits, single actions and pirate engagements, such as the work offered here.