Inscribed in French (left) and English (right): ‘Loss of the Henri IV on the 14th of November 1854. A terrible storm raged upon the Crimean coast; Several vessels went ashore and the French navy lost near Eupatoria, the Henri IV, ship of the line, and the steam corvette Pluton. The steamer was soon a perfect wreck, but the Henri IV standing quite erect was still able to fire and repulsed hords [sic] of Cossacks hovering round the disaster’.
The Pluton is depicted in the distance on the left in starboard-quarter view. The Henri IV features prominently in the centre of the image in port-quarter view. Wreckage floats in the foreground alongside some rowing boats. Land can be seen in the right of the background.