The Fleet Off the Coast, Beachy Head
1798
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1798
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see tall white cliffs under a soft sky, with a line of warships sailing past. Atkins painted this during the Napoleonic Wars, when Britain’s navy was its pride. The ships are tiny but sharp—each sail and flag is drawn with care, as if the fleet is leaving for battle. The cliffs glow in the light, almost like a stage set for history. If you like this, look up *England, 18th century* for more scenes of ships and coasts.
