Large Marine Oil Battle Of St Vincent. Nelson’S Bridge

Graham Jowett-Ive (1946–2012) – Battle of St Vincent. Nelson’s Bridge – RSMA Mall Galleries Exhibited Naval Oil Painting 2005

A dramatic and exceptionally well-documented British naval history painting depicting Nelson’s celebrated action at the Battle of Cape St Vincent.

Highlights

• Exhibited with the Royal Society of Marine Artists at The Mall Galleries, London, in 2005.
• Original 2005 exhibition label retaining the documented title Battle of St Vincent. Nelson’s Bridge.
• Signed and dated “Jowett-Ive 05”.
• Accompanied by the artist’s original preparatory pencil sketch.
• Accompanied by a handwritten letter from Graham Jowett-Ive dated 3 November 2005.
• Recently reframed.
• Privately loaned and exhibited with the Famous Lord Hill Museum.

Introduction

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® is delighted to present this substantial and unusually well-documented naval history painting by British artist **Graham Jowett-Ive (1946–2012)**.

Painted in 2005, the work depicts the celebrated naval action associated with Commodore Horatio Nelson during the **Battle of Cape St Vincent**, fought on 14 February 1797.

The painting retains its original **Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition label from The Mall Galleries, London**, which identifies the work as *Battle of St Vincent. Nelsons Bridge* and records an exhibition price of £750.

The painting is accompanied by two particularly important pieces of primary documentation: an original preparatory pencil study and a handwritten letter from Jowett-Ive to the original purchaser, Mr E. Joll of Bath, dated 3 November 2005.

In the letter, the artist confirms that the painting had been exhibited at that year's RSMA exhibition and explains that the accompanying drawing was **“the sketch from which your painting developed.”**

Catalogue Details

Artist: Graham Jowett-Ive (British, 1946–2012)

Title: *Battle of St Vincent. Nelson’s Bridge*

Date: 2005

Medium: Oil on canvas

Signature: Signed and dated lower left “Jowett-Ive 05”

Subject: Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797

Exhibition: Royal Society of Marine Artists, The Mall Galleries, London, 2005

Original Exhibition Price: £750

Accompanying Material: Original preparatory pencil sketch and handwritten letter from Graham Jowett-Ive dated 3 November 2005

Frame: Recently reframed

Catalogue Note

The composition presents a large grouping of British and Spanish sailing warships in close action, with dense rigging, drifting cannon smoke, damaged vessels and heavily worked seas conveying the confusion and violence of fleet combat.

The title *Nelson’s Bridge* refers to one of Horatio Nelson’s most celebrated exploits.

During the Battle of Cape St Vincent, Nelson, commanding HMS *Captain*, engaged the Spanish *San Nicolás* and *San José*. When the two Spanish ships became fouled together, Nelson and his men boarded *San Nicolás* and then crossed directly onto *San José*, capturing both vessels.

The episode became celebrated as Nelson’s **“Patent Bridge for boarding first rates.”**

The painting was subsequently offered by Littleton Auctions on 1 August 2026 as a *Battle of Trafalgar, 1805*. That later description is retained as part of the work’s auction history, but the surviving 2005 exhibition label and the artist’s own contemporary letter provide stronger object-specific evidence for the identification as *Battle of St Vincent. Nelson’s Bridge*.

The Artist

Graham Jowett-Ive (1946–2012) was a British painter whose work included maritime and historical subjects.

His surviving works include naval pictures such as *Atlantic Fleet* (2000) and *French Napoleonic Battleships at Sea* (2004). In his 2005 correspondence, Jowett-Ive referred to paintings then being displayed at the Alexander Gallery in Bristol and described them as celebrating **“the sea, or rather Nelson on the sea!”**

His surviving letter accompanying the present work also provides an unusually personal account of his artistic development.

Provenance

The artist;

Mr E. Joll, Lower Swainswick House, Bath, acquired in connection with the 2005 Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition;

Subsequent ownership;

Littleton Auctions, Worcestershire, 1 August 2026, Lot 306;

Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Dimensions

Canvas / image area: 92 × 62.5 cm

Overall framed dimensions: 109 × 79 × 2.5 cm

Depth: 2.5 cm

Condition Report

The painting is presented in a recently fitted decorative frame.

The painted surface displays age-related spotting and marks, particularly within the lighter sky passages. There is spotting and staining visible to the reverse of the canvas. These observations are based on visual inspection and photographs and should not be interpreted as a conservation diagnosis.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available.

Owing to the substantial dimensions of the painting, it will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured.

International buyers are welcome. Please contact us for a destination-specific delivery quotation or to discuss any particular shipping requirements.

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details and dealer attribution.

Attribution and Research

The present catalogue identification follows the original 2005 Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition label retained with the painting and is supported by the artist’s contemporaneous handwritten letter and original preparatory study.

The later Littleton Auctions description as *Battle of Trafalgar, 1805* is recorded transparently as part of the subsequent auction history but is not adopted as the present historical identification.

The documented subject is the **Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797**, with particular reference to Nelson’s celebrated boarding action known as his “Patent Bridge”.

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