Sails blaze and shred, ranks of cannon trade volleys and, glimpsed through palls of smoke, desperate figures fall to the waves or cling for dear life. Through the eyes of the most famous maritime painters of their time, the great ships and battles of the age of sail are ours to see. Here are vessels being launched and being sunk; in action and on blockade; in port and on voyages of exploration or embassy; as well as architectural drawings, battle diagrams, sea charts and signals; striking portraits of leading figures in naval history, and fascinating images of life below deck.

Alongside such celebrated favourites as Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire and The Death of Nelson by Daniel Maclise are works that have seldom seen the light of day, from a rare pencil portrait of an ordinary seaman to a watercolour sketch of sailors aloft. And such is the size and quality of the illustrations, even the more familiar offer the eye myriad fresh details to savour – from a glimpse of Napoleon to women and children gathered aboard.

Encompassing 100 glorious years, Fighting Ships includes paintings from Pocock, Loutherbourg, Wright and Serres, and presents iconic images of Cook’s’ explorations, the execution of Admiral Byng and countless moments of heroism and glory. Moving chronologically from the first truly worldwide conflict, The Seven Years War, to the advent of steam and iron, Sam Willis tells the story behind each of 150 stunning images. Covering The War of American Independence, The French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars and The War of 1812, his insightful narrative forms a comprehensive naval history of the last great age of sail. A celebration of the golden age of sail in 150 glorious paintings.

Book Sample

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