Antique 19th Century Maritime Seascape War Ship Oil Painting HMS Britannia by Robert Strickland Thomas, 1835

A fine & large antique maritime oil painting of the war ship HMS Britannia, by Robert Strickland Thomas (1787-1853), the painting circa 1835.
The painting depicts HMS Britannia broadside with several other war ships of the British fleet, most likley returning from the Mediterranean. 
In the foreground are several small boats with sailors variously occupied attending to them. A yacht with a crowded deck is visible on the left. In the center foreground there is a barrel or possibly a buoy in the water, a device commonly employed in some of Thomas's paintings.
To the verso is an old auction label from the 1920s and another partial label, there are also some annotations on the stretcher with details of photographic images of the painting.  
There is also an old label of ownership "Mrs. Strange 6 Elvaston Place", this address was a large Georgian house in the prestigious London borough of South Kensington.
The painting is in very good condition, this investment quality antique maritime painting is ready to hang on your wall.

Built in 1820, the "Britannia" returned from the Mediterranean in 1835. From 1836, she was flagship at Portsmouth and remained there until she went out of commission from 1842. The artist learned to paint while he was serving in the Royal Navy. He later took up painting as a profession to augment his half pay and concentrated on Royal Naval subjects.
     Robert Strickland Thomas entered the Royal Navy as a seaman aboard the ‘Princess Charlotte’ frigate in 1805. He was a talented artist and was promoted to Midshipman and may have been taught to paint by the captain of the ship, George Tobin, an amateur painter who later retired to Teignmouth, South Devon, to paint with Thomas Luny. Robert Strickland Thomas took up painting to supplement his income at times when he was on half pay. He became Master’s Mate in the sloop "Brisk" (1807-13), before joining the frigate "Creole" to become Acting Lieutenant. He was confirmed as Lieutenant in 1815, but left the navy after contracting a disease, which left him deaf. His paintings are housed in many museums & galleries including; The British Government Art Collection, The Maritime Museum in Greenwich, The National Trust, and many more.

Imperial

36.5 inches high × 49 inches wide × 3 inches deep

Metric

high × wide x deep

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