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SERRES, After Dominic (1722-1793)
[Taking Martinique] A View of the Port of La Trinité and all the north side of Martinique, Taken by the Right Honble. Augustus Hervey Febry. the 11th. 1762
London: Torre, [circa 1769]. Copper engraving, by Peter Charles Canot, in very good condition. Sheet size: 16 5/16 x 28 1/8 inches.
An excellent image of the naval action in Martinique during the Seven Years War
A fine view of the squadron under the command of Augustus John Hervey (1724-1779, third Earl of Bristol) in the process of capturing the French port of Le Trinité on Martinique. 'In the autumn of 1761 Hervey was ordered to proceed with Commodore Barton to the West Indies to join Rodney in his expedition against the French island of Martinique. Here he aided in the successful attack, and was afterwards ordered by Rodney to proceed in the Dragon with five other vessels to demand the surrender of St. Lucia. The island was at once given up (February 1762). An expedition, the naval part of which was under the direction of Sir George Pocock, had sailed from England against the Havannah, and this was joined by a portion, including Hervey's ship, of the fleet previously under Rodney's command. Hervey captured the castle which defended the river Coximar, and, at Keppel's direction, under whose immediate command he now acted, hastened to cannonade with three other vessels from the seaward the fort of Moro Castle, which commanded the entrance to the harbour of the Havannah. He had the misfortune to be grounded, but persevered in firing until ordered to desist, when his ship was obliged to withdraw in order to be refitted. After a terrible loss of life Moro Castle was taken nearly a month later, and the Havannah was soon afterwards surrendered. Hervey was despatched to England with the news, and on his way captured a large French frigate laden with military stores for Newfoundland, which the enemy had a short time before made a descent upon. Peace quickly followed, when Hervey resigned his command and accepted the captaincy of the Centurion of 50 guns under the Duke of York.' (DNB).
Dominic Serres 'was born in 1722 at Auch in Gascony, and was educated in the public school there... His parents intended him for the church, but, this not suiting his taste, he ran away from his native town, and made his way on foot into Spain. He there shipped on board a vessel for South America as a common sailor, and eventually became master of a trading vessel to the Havannah, where he was taken prisoner by a British frigate and brought to this country about 1758. After his release he married and lived for a time in Northamptonshire. He had received some instruction in drawing, and commenced life in England as a painter of naval pieces, for which the wars of the period furnished an abundance of subjects. He received some assistance from Charles Brooking, and soon established a position. In 1765 Serres became a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and exhibited with them for two years. On the establishment of the Royal Academy in 1768 he was chosen one of the foundation members, and was a constant contributor up to the time of his death. Between 1761 and 1793 he exhibited eight works at the Society of Artists, twenty-one at the Free Society, and 105 at the Royal Academy. Among the latter were The Siege at Fort Royal, Martinique (1769), The Royal George returning from the Bay (1771), The Burning of the Town of Gimras (1772), The Thésée sinking while engaging with the Torbay (1777), and The Engagement between the Serapis and the Countess of Scarborough with Paul Jones and his Squadron (1780). Serres was a good linguist. In 1792 he succeeded Wilton as librarian to the academy. He was also appointed marine-painter to George III, but he did not long hold these offices. He died in 1793, and was buried at St. Marylebone Old Church.' (DNB).
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#5683 $2,850.00 
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Copyright © 2002-2010 Donald A. Heald
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