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A depiction of the third of the five fleet actions fought off Ceylon and the east coast of India at the end of the War of American Independence, between the French and English East Indies squadrons of Pierre-André de Suffren, and Sir Edward Hughes. The others were on 17 February 1782 off Sadras, 12 April off Providien, 30 September off Trincomalee and 30 June 1783 off Porto Novo, or Cuddalore. All were furiously contested, both admirals being tenacious fighters, and at Negapatam the French 'Brilliant' lost 47 killed and 136 wounded. At the end the British had lost 77 killed and 233 wounded, while the French lost 178 killed and 600 wounded. The picture shows an early stage in the action when the squadrons are still in line. The British line is on the left, in port-bow view, led by Commodore King in the 'Hero', with Hughes in the 'Superb', lying fifth.
Serres produced a set of seven large paintings for Hughes, including this one, of his actions with Suffren off the coast of India in 1782–1783. On his death in 1794 he left them to the Greenwich Hospital Collection. In about 1835 his former protégé, Admiral Benjamin William Page (1765–1845), was incensed to find them hanging in obscure corridors rather than in the Naval Gallery in the Painted Hall. He persuaded the Hospital to sell him all but the present example and gave all six to Hughes's and his own home town, Ipswich, to hang in the town hall where they remain Ipswich.
Serres was a well-born Frenchman from Gascony who ran away to sea in merchant service rather than follow family wish that he enter the Church. In 1768 Serres was a founder member of the Royal Academy. He was appointed Marine Painter to George III in 1780.
Title
Battle of Negapatam, 6 July 1782
Date
1786
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 111.76 x W 182.88 cm
Accession number
BHC0448
Acquisition method
National Maritime Museum (Greenwich Hospital Collection)
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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