No 2. Dec 31st 1794. The Cleopatra towing the Thetis towards the Chesapeake. Lynx and Thisbe attending... A Virginian pilot boat the Sally of Norfolk in the foreground

Watercolour depicting the 'Cleopatra' (right) towing the 'Thetis' (left) towards the Chesapeake on 31 December 1794, with the sloop 'Lynx' and frigate 'Thisbe' attending (in the background), and the pilot boat 'Sally of Norfolk' in the foreground. This is the 2nd (of 4?) watercolours by Tobin depicting these events. The 'Cleopatra' was in French hands briefly (17- 23 February 1805), and she was broken up in 1814. George Tobin was a junior lieutenant in the 'Providence' on Bligh's second breadfruit voyage (1791-93). He retired as a captain and lived near Teignmouth where, after 1807, he became a friend of the marine painter Thomas Luny. Medium includes pen and black ink.; signed by the artist and dated.

Object Details

ID: PAG9751
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Tobin, George
Vessels: Cleopatra (1779); Sally of Norfolk (c.1795) Thisbe (1783) Thetis (1782) Lynx (1794)
Date made: 1795
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 269 x 368 mm; Mount: 480 mm x 633 mm