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Brass 24-pounder gun

Montagu Frederick O'Reilly

1853

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century Marine

Dominant colour

Brass 24-pounder gun is a 1853 watercolor by Montagu Frederick O'Reilly, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Montagu Frederick O'Reilly
When & what style?: 1853 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This watercolour painting shows a brass 24-pounder gun, a type of cannon, lying on the ground. The gun is drawn in detail, with its barrel and wheels visible. In the background, there is a body of water with mountains in the distance. The painting has a sense of realism, with the gun and its surroundings drawn accurately. The use of watercolour gives the painting a soft, gentle look. If you're interested in learning more about the artist who created this painting, you might want to look up O'Reilly, Montagu Frederick (Commander RN).

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour drawing depicts a brass 24-pounder naval gun, salvaged from the Turkish flagship *Naganiah* after its destruction at the Battle of Sinope on November 30, 1853. The artwork was created by Commander Montagu Frederick O'Reilly while stationed aboard HMS *Retribution* in Sinope Bay between December 6 and 7, 1853. It later appeared as a title-page vignette in O'Reilly’s 1856 publication *A Series of Twelve Views in the Black Sea and the Bosphorus*. The drawing was purchased by Phillips in September 1981.

Read the full account in the museum source.