One of a series of paintings of the same subject by Drummond, concentrating on the group of figures carrying Nelson. He was struck by a musket ball fired from the French ‘Redoutable’ after which he was rapidly carried below so that the men around him would not lose heart.

Drummond’s composition pays homage to imagery relating to the deposition from the cross. On the left in the foreground Nelson is shown being held by two sailors and a marine. The composition is closely related to the engraving done by Drummond and published in 1809, but that was certainly from a more finished version of which he painted a number between 1806 and 1828. Others in the Museum collection are BHC0547 and BHC0551: se also PAF5982. The rough finish of this one suggests it might be a relatively early study, though that is speculative. The artist also exhibited a picture of this title in the Liverpool Academy exhibitions of 1812 no. 109 and of 1813 no. 26.