Unknown warship; represents Zeus/Jupiter.

Scale: 1:48. A plan showing the head, head-rails, bow, trail-board and figurehead for an unknown two-decker Third Rate. A possible candidate for this proposal is HMS Thunderer (1782). The watermark of 1796 would suggest it was a design for a replacement. Thunderer was fitted at Chatham in 1803 and again at Plymouth in 1805 before the battle of Trafalgar. A similar design for Invincible (1808) uses the same motif of a bearded man holding a thunderbolt aloft in his right hand and a sceptre(?) in his left - See DIC0039.

The grey colour-washed figurehead is a full-length carving of a make, probably representing Zeus/Jupiter, facing forward, His left hand is holding a sceptre(?), while the right is raised above his head holding a number of lightning bolts, ready for throwing. A billowing cloak partially obscures his naked body. He is standing on a large storm cloud, complete with rain and lightning. Stylised foliage and flowers fill part of the trail-board.

Object Details

ID: DIC0090
Type: Technical drawing
Display location: Not on display
Date made: after 1796
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 404 mm x 251 mm
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