'The Eyes of the Fleet'

Inscribed, as title, by the artist and signed in ink, lower right, this drawing was reproduced in Wyllie and M.F. Wren's 'Sea Fights of the Great War (1918) f. p. 144. This shows British First World War destroyers at sea in stern view. The principal one is an Admiralty 'V' or 'W' class in the period 1917-1918. The first of the Admiralty 'V' class entered service in June 1917. The vessel on the left is an 'M'- or 'R'-class destroyer. Wyllies ink title inscription repeats one underneath written earlier in pencil. This and the fairly finished nature of the drawing suggest it was one intended for reproduction, though it may not have been done specifically for his own 'Sea Fights' book, only used there from existing 'stock', as the firming up of the inscription in ink might suggest.

Object Details

ID: PAE3442
Collection: Fine art
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Wyllie, William Lionel
Date made: 1916; 1917-18 1917-1918
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection
Measurements: 300 mm x 215 mm