Böcker av Katherine Gazzard

Joseph Mallord William Turner's The Batt le of Trafalgar is one of the most famous and recognisable paintings in the collection of the National Maritime Museum. Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth and 220 years aft er the batt le for which this monumental work is named, the book situates the painting alongside plans, sketches and artefacts from the National Maritime Museum's collection and examines Turner's contribution to maritime art and to Nelson's complicated legacy. The Batt le of Trafalgar was the only work Turner made 'by royal command' and the largest he painted. Although best remembered as an unconventional artist, with this commission Turner was tasked with producing a patriotic painting to adorn the halls of power. On completion, the piece was the subject of intense scrutiny, att racting criticism for perceived historical inaccuracies in the representation of the batt le. Yet it remains a powerful artwork, which combines a celebration of maritime victory with a tribute to national a hero, an ode to ordinary sailors and a meditation on the horrors of war. Three chapters consider: the artist and the batt le; the commissioning of the work, Turner's artistic process and specifi c elements and events within the fi nished piece; and the response to the work, including its display in the National Gallery of Naval Art at Greenwich Hospital.

This is the story of Charles Hare and his audacious escape from the fortress of Sarre-Libre (Sarre-Louis), then part of France, aft er six years as a prisoner of war. Hare was a midshipman in the Royal Navy who had been captured by the French in 1803 at the age of just thirteen. He escaped by impersonating an off icer in the Douanes, the French customs service. Remarkably, the uniform that he wore as a disguise survives and has recently entered the collection of Royal Museums Greenwich, along with a copy of Hare's autobiographical account of his adventures. Having undergone extensive conservation, the uniform will be on display from October 2024 in the National Maritime Museum's 'Nelson, Navy, Nation' gallery. Through detailed photography and a range of complementary objects, curator Dr Katherine Gazzard tells the deeply personal and unique story of Hare, tracking his dangerous journey across Europe. She also examines the materials and insignia of the uniform and traces the history of the Douanes from their foundation in the French Revolution to their role as an imperial directorate under Napoleon. The book concludes with a consideration of Hare's experiences within the context of prisoners of war more broadly.

Charting the changing relationship between art and war this book includes likenesses of famous - and infamous - commanders, such as Francis Drake, James Cook and Horatio Nelson, but also considers the representation of men and women whose stories are often overlooked or marginalised.