The print appeared in 1897 as the frontispiece to Admiral Lord Charles Beresford’s ‘Nelson and his Times’. The book aimed at ‘popular appeal and a mass audience, addressed to the millions of the great British democracy’. This imaginary scene shows Nelson stepping ashore at Copenhagen in 1801, following his destruction of the Danish fleet. The battle ended the Russian-inspired ‘Armed Neutrality’ against Britain, with its dangerous prospect of a combined Russo-Swedish-Danish fleet and the cutting off of British naval supplies from the Baltic.

From 1894 to 1899 Davidson produced a series of scenes from Nelson’s life – some, like this, more imaginary than others – to inspire the country’s new generation. For the artist see Notebook entry to BHC1811.