18TH CENTURY ENGRAVING

A rare hand-coloured engraving on paper circa 1781 depicting the end of a three-hour battle between frigates the "Quebec" and the "Surveillante" on October 6th, 1779, noted by the Royal Museum of Greenwich "The British and French frigate action represented in this painting was desperately fought. The frigates were accompanied by cutters, the 'Quebec', 32 guns, by the 'Rambler', 10 guns, and the 'Surveillante', 36 guns, by the 'Expedition', 10 guns. Both frigates sighted each other at dawn off Ushant and the Quebec, being up-wind of the Surveillante, ran down on her, while the Frenchman sailed close to the wind to await her. Close and furious action ensued for over three hours, after which both the damage to the masts and the heavy swell combined to bring down the masts of both vessels"; sight 48.3 x 58.4cm (19 x 23in), professionally framed and matted; Provenance: from a private London estate collection