Le Ocean et le Souverain

This hand-coloured lithograph depicts a view of the French ships ‘Ocean’ (left) and ‘Souverain’ (right). The ‘Ocean’ (1790) was designed by Sané. It was substantially altered in 1846 and broken up in 1855 at Brest. Carved work on the stern shown in the picture does not agree with that shown on the model of the ship in Musée de Marine, Paris. The ‘Souverain’ was launched in 1819 and completed in 1821 but did not commission into service until April 1840. This indicates a date for the scene depicted between 1840 and 1846.

The lithograph is inscribed above the image ‘Marine Française / 5.’ and below the image with the title, ‘L’Océan et le Souverain / Manœvrant’ and the publication details: ‘Dessiné par Hi. Durand Brager / Imp Lith Formentin & Cie., Rue des Sts Pères, 10 / Lithographié par Delaplante & Hi. Durand Brager’.

The print is from a series of marine scenes drawn by Jean Baptiste Henri Durand-Brager (1814–1879) and published by Joséphine-Clémence Formentin (1802–1863).