Print. The original oil, dated 1836 and in the V&A as part of the John Sheepshanks gift of 1857, was exhibited at the British Institution in 1837 as 'Rigging-hulk and frigate at Portsmouth'. In his ledger Cooke identified the hulk (centre) as the 'Topaze', which was originally 'L'Etoile', a French frigate captured in 1814. His diary shows he painted the picture, from earlier sketches, at home in Barnes starting on 10 June 1836 and on 29th took it to show Sheepshanks in Blackheath. The latter bought it for £30 and the following day Cooke took it to the Findens to be engraved as the present plate for their 'Ports, Harbours and Watering Places...' of 1838 (see Norman Parkinson, 'Catalogue of British Oil Paintings [in the V&A] 1820-1860', p.43). The British frigate shown (left) has only lower masts standing and though, given the 1836 date of painting, it is easy to assume it is being dismantled, the original text published by the Findens vaunts it as a new ship being rigged for service. The 'Topaze' was broken up in 1851 and seems to have been replaced on the same mooring by the former 36-gun 'Dryad', which is shown lying there in 1851 in PAH9197. The 'Dryad' was in turn broken up at Charlton, on the Thames, in 1860-62. [PvdM 7/23]