"The Peregrine" (later renamed "The Royal Caroline") in Two Positions off the Coast, 1766
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated
23 1/4 x 34 1/2 in (59 x 88 cm)
This painting shows one of the royal yachts, the Peregrine, from two different views. Built in the late 1690s, the Peregrine was named after its designer, Peregrine Osborne, Lord Danby. In 1711, the vessel was converted into a royal yacht for Queen Anne. Five years later, George I renamed it the Royal Caroline. This double "portrait" of the ship was painted in 1766, long after it had been taken out of royal service. But in the version on the right Cleveley shows her still flying the royal standard. As a young man, Cleveley had worked as a carpenter in one of the royal dockyards, giving him an intimate knowledge of many different kinds of ships. This experience enabled him to paint his maritime subjects with great detail and accuracy.
Provenance
Private collection, U.K.; Sotheby's, London, April 1, 1998, lot 97
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