Head of the 'Re-union'

Watercolour sketch of the figurehead of the French frigate ‘Réunion’, produced after the ship was captured by the British frigate ‘Crescent’ on 20 October 1793. The sketch is mounted alongside one depicting the stern of the ‘Réunion’ (PAH4924). The latter is inscribed ‘Stern of the Re-union’, while the present sketch is inscribed ‘Head of Do.’. A further inscription reads ‘taken by Sir J[ame]s Saumarez KB in HM Ship Crescent’.

The drawing is part of an album containing fifty-seven drawings (PAH4886–PAH4943) created by British naval officer Aiskew Paffard Hollis (1764–1844) during the late 1780s and the 1790s. The majority relate to his service as a lieutenant in ‘Pegase’ in 1785–90, in ‘Andromeda’ in 1790–93 and in ‘Queen’ in 1793–96. Included are portraits of Hollis’s shipmates, often with humorous captions, as well as scenes of everyday life ashore and afloat.