Introduction
This assessment comments an engraving of 1805 of Trafalgar’s battle. It examines its composition, which represents Nelson’s meeting with his captains a sketch of the battle. It aims to analyse how its imagery relates to the historical antecedents and the historiographical context. The engraving, aimed to help in the propaganda war as it spread the myth of British invincibility, is thought to be inaccurate while describing the battle development and the true reasons behind such iconic British victory.
A European landscape rearrangement conspicuously threatening England
Along the 18th century, Britain raised to be the key deciding player in European policy. Due to the Treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Rastadt (1714) Britain …show more content…
With his right arm missing and being the only one using a hat, his figure suggests sagacity, experience and astuteness. The group is bewildered, exhilarated and surprised of what they are hearing from an iconic admiral, whose bold and aggressive tactics defeated the French at Aboukir. He knows how the next incoming battle is going to develop. Collingwood, sitting on Nelson’s right , is taken aback as he scrutinizes the map while listening to Nelson.
His final instructions are rather unconventional. There would not be oversight during battle, no confusing signals, no final orders, because there would no need to do so . Nelson, the mythical admiral (and Britain by extension), trusts their sense of duty and seamanship: The Royal Navy would prevail, in spite of the fact that only a fraction of Nelson’s fleet ships had served under his command before, being the rest drawn from other squadrons. Even part of them were recently repaired or commissioned
Although Nelson’s aggressive tactics were not entirely new , at Trafalgar he would not micromanage the incoming battle. Instead, he would empower his subordinated to follow general guidelines: to cut enemies’ line, isolate the adversary and make the most British superior gunnery. Victory would certainly follow , even though most of those depicted captains had never commanded a ship into battle .
This assessment comments an engraving of 1805 of Trafalgar’s battle. It examines its composition, which represents Nelson’s meeting with his captains a sketch of the battle. It aims to analyse how its imagery relates to the historical antecedents and the historiographical context. The engraving, aimed to help in the propaganda war as it spread the myth of British invincibility, is thought to be inaccurate while describing the battle development and the true reasons behind such iconic British victory.
A European landscape rearrangement conspicuously threatening England
Along the 18th century, Britain raised to be the key deciding player in European policy. Due to the Treaties of Utrecht (1713) and Rastadt (1714) Britain …show more content…
With his right arm missing and being the only one using a hat, his figure suggests sagacity, experience and astuteness. The group is bewildered, exhilarated and surprised of what they are hearing from an iconic admiral, whose bold and aggressive tactics defeated the French at Aboukir. He knows how the next incoming battle is going to develop. Collingwood, sitting on Nelson’s right , is taken aback as he scrutinizes the map while listening to Nelson.
His final instructions are rather unconventional. There would not be oversight during battle, no confusing signals, no final orders, because there would no need to do so . Nelson, the mythical admiral (and Britain by extension), trusts their sense of duty and seamanship: The Royal Navy would prevail, in spite of the fact that only a fraction of Nelson’s fleet ships had served under his command before, being the rest drawn from other squadrons. Even part of them were recently repaired or commissioned
Although Nelson’s aggressive tactics were not entirely new , at Trafalgar he would not micromanage the incoming battle. Instead, he would empower his subordinated to follow general guidelines: to cut enemies’ line, isolate the adversary and make the most British superior gunnery. Victory would certainly follow , even though most of those depicted captains had never commanded a ship into battle .