The Battle of the Nile, 1 August 1798: view from near Aboukir Fort

A rough but vigorous pencil sketch of the night-time climax of the battle, at the point the French flagship 'L'Orient' blew up about 10.30 pm. The viewpoint is looking south-east, probably from one of the small islets north-east of the Aboukir fort (see PAH0143), which is shown with its mosque minaret on the right. In the left foreground, drawn up on the shore, a local Egyptian fishing boat is nearby with a few people on board. They are watching the battle. The explosion of 'L'Orient' is indicated by swirling lines and flying fragments above this boat. Exhibited: NMM Pocock exhib. (1975) no.84 as 'The Fort of Aboukir' where the paper is recorded as having part of a Whatman Turkey Mill watermark.