Nelson & Trafalgar Archives - Gordon Frickers Marine Art

Hunt the Pickle

29 April 202029 April 2020 by Gordon Frickers

Should we have a > spot HMS Pickle < competition, she is there, ubiquitous as ever she was?

Under the radar ~ Mal Nicholson requested I show my “HMS Pickle’ paintings on his HMS Pickle Official site on Facebook; so here today are another two …

I present “Trafalgar Dawn” : as seen and described by eye witnesses, from HMS Victory at 06.05, Monday, 21st October 1805.

The fine art print has in the margin a drawing of the scene and better still, every ship individually named.

The original is long since sold.

To make a pair, I painted and have in print the opposite view as described from the French flag ship. That too included the elusive HMS Pickle France view so to speak.

Original available £18,000

Victory almost sunk

14 January 202014 January 2020 by Gordon Frickers

1922, HMS VICTORY was this week, having been rammed afloat, hastily moved into No 2 Dock, Portsmouth to be preserved for the nation. My ‘Nelson & Trafalgar Collection’ was commissioned to help raise funds for Victory and R N Museum Portsmouth. The collection still remains never publicly exhibited, most of the paintings available. … Read more

This Morning

4 November 20194 November 2019 by Gordon Frickers

This little schooner had survived, only just, 2 heavy gales in the Bay of Biscay, the date was the fourth of November 1805.
She conveyed on board the most momentous news of that decade as she arrived at Falmouth, England.

Her unlikely name now immortalised in history was HMS Pickle.This painting measures 48 x 61 cm (19″ x 24″), available, price upon application.

Blue, Red ensigns

26 August 201926 August 2019 by Gordon Frickers

An interesting question raised on Facebook The sailing frigates, ship sloops and war brigs 1620-1870 Edward Zimmerman.

“What was the significance between Red and Blue?”

Flags are a complex subject with a long history.

To fly an incorrect flag, one you are not entitled to, is still punishable by law. Both flags he mentions, red and blue, have a long history.

In Nelson’s day Blue was used together with red, white and yellow to indicate the zone a ship thus the admiral in command, operated.

Many a would be marine artist has shown a wrong flag !

Disaster !

5 August 20195 August 2019 by Gordon Frickers

“The sea is all wrong, it should be flat calm” said Peter Goodwin to me by phone having just returned from the Arctic circle.

Actually, the painting, is absolutely ‘spot on’.

H M Sloop Racehorse, Friday 17 September, 1773

The moment portrayed : “HM Sloop Racehorse, North Sea storm, Arctic expedition 1773″.

Subtitle “Put Preventer Gammoning upon the Bowsprit’, Friday 17 September“.

Taken from the ship’s log book and journals and guided by the very authoritative Mr. Goodwin, this painting is accurate down to the tiller ropes on the poop deck and the fish davit blocks. The latter is a detail often missed by artists and model makers.

A wordy start

11 January 201911 January 2019 by Gordon Frickers

This year in my studio has started with a bit of good luck.

The 1805 Club of North America branch asked me to write an article on how “I Have Urgent Dispatches” came to be created.

I Have Urgent Dispatches, print with texts

This is the first time since we started all those years ago inspired by the late and much missed Nick Varley, that one of the most influential ‘Nelson’ society’s has asked to show this example from my ‘Nelson and Trafalgar Collection’.

Two for the price of one

14 October 201814 October 2018 by Gordon Frickers

Ready to go, varnished last week, now available for exhibition or a new home, one of my “Nelson and Trafalgar” paintings, a series, some now sold, as yet not publicly exhibited.

The 21 st of October is ‘Trafalgar Day’.

‘Immortal’ Nelson’s ‘HMS Minerve’ voyage was a major ‘sea mark’ in his rise to fame.

This continues my original brief while ‘Official Artist’ to HMS Victory, to research and illustrate “the lesser known but interesting aspects of Nelson and HMS Victory”.

What made Nelson special?

26 May 201826 May 2018 by Gordon Frickers

Nelson, why is Nelson said to be ‘immortal’, Nelson’s Minerve voyage gives us clues.

This marine painting shows Nelson at Gibraltar, 10th December 1796 shows Nelson in the stern sheets of the cutter with tossed oars, when he transferred from the 75 gun HMS Captain to the frigate Minerve .

Thus You have 2 Nelson ships for the price of one.

There is an incident during the voyage with Minerve which most historians of Nelson have missed, failed to see the significance.

Princess Royal, success, Trafalgar

21 March 201815 March 2018 by Gordon Frickers

The Princess Royal, Princess Anne; success, Trafalgar, Pickle, here’s a yarn for you…

I don’t sell many prints these days, in fact I may well discontinue them soon.
I’m pleased to report another large copy of “I Have Urgent Dispatches” was dispatched today, this time bound for a new home near Portsmouth, England.

Harp, a Pickle secret?

18 February 201818 February 2018 by Gordon Frickers

“I Have Urgent Dispatches” on a harp?

I had a very unusual copyright enquiry.

Plus we have a call for volunteers to work on “Iris Mary” and “Irene”, at Saltash, February 17 -22?

“Ieuan was overwhelmed when he saw what was done at Christmas. We shed a few tears together….Even hardy sailors get emotional” Talfryn Laposte wrote to me.

Harp Pickle with “I have Urgent Dispatches”

Please, how much, to reproduce your famous “I Have Urgent Dispatches” on a harp I’m building as a surprise for my son, he loves the painting.

“I Have Urgent Dispatches” By Gordon Frickers, is available as a signed limited edition print on canvas