Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd

Description

Old Ironsides — USS Constitution Captures HMS Cyane & HMS Levant, War of 1812
English School, circa 1830 — in the manner of Thomas Buttersworth (1768–1842)
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Subject & Medium
A richly atmospheric War of 1812 marine battle oil painting centred on the legendary American heavy frigate USS Constitution, long celebrated as “Old Ironsides,” shown in close engagement with two British warships through smoke, spray, and breaking light. The scene is plausibly inspired by Constitution’s late-war action of 20 February 1815, when she fought and captured HMS Cyane and HMS Levant—a dramatic two-against-one episode that became an enduring part of the ship’s mythology and an especially desirable subject within Americana and naval-history collecting.
Oil on canvas (relined), English School, circa 1830, executed in the manner of Thomas Buttersworth (1768–1842).
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Composition & Technique
The composition is deliberately staged for maximum narrative clarity and emotional impact, in the early-19th-century tradition of heroic maritime art. It is romanticised in the period sense—designed to communicate the sensation of naval power rather than function as a strict record of manoeuvres. The viewer is brought close to the action: hulls are presented at a readable angle, masts and yards rake across the sky, and rigging geometry cuts decisively through drifting gun smoke.
The sea is actively “worked,” with a rolling, wind-driven surface that amplifies the violence and momentum of the encounter. Smoke is layered to hang in the mid-distance like a veil, partially obscuring forms and creating the visual truth of battle, where visibility was compromised and identification could be uncertain. Light is controlled to heighten drama, pushing contrast between storm-grey passages and brighter breaks that pick out sail planes, flags, and the hard edges of hull and spar. The overall effect is a convincing battle-piece: speed, confusion, and spectacle, rendered in a manner associated with the Buttersworth circle and followers.
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About the Battle
On 20 February 1815, USS Constitution encountered HMS Cyane and HMS Levant and brought both to action. Constitution’s reputation for stout construction and formidable broadside power was already well established, and this encounter further confirmed her status as a premier fighting frigate. The engagement’s lasting appeal lies in its structure: a single famous American warship engaging two British opponents, a rare and compelling narrative that was immediately suited to commemoration in art and print.
The painting does not attempt to pin down every historical detail with literal precision instead it communicates the essential character of the action—ships under press of sail, close-quarters gunnery, and the distinctive atmosphere of smoke, spray, and wind-torn canvas.
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Historical Significance
For collectors, USS Constitution occupies a unique position: not merely a successful frigate, but a cultural emblem of early United States naval identity. The capture of Cyane and Levant carried particular resonance because it reinforced American prestige at the end of the conflict and further elevated Constitution into legend. In the 19th century, such episodes were avidly collected and circulated as visual narratives of national and maritime power—exactly the kind of subject that appealed to connoisseurs of marine painting, naval history enthusiasts, and institutions building patriotic or maritime collections.
This is the sort of image that functions on two levels: as a strong marine painting in its own right, and as historically charged iconography associated with one of the most celebrated ships in United States Navy history.
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About the Artist
The work is offered in the manner of Thomas Buttersworth (1768–1842), among the best-known British marine painters of the late Georgian and early Victorian era. Buttersworth’s influence was particularly strong in ship portraiture and naval battle pictures, where the goal was both to delight the eye and to tell a clear story. Hallmarks associated with his circle and followers are evident here: strong, legible silhouettes an active, heaving sea sky architecture that frames and heightens the narrative and the instinct to stage the engagement so the viewer can read it instantly, even amid smoke and disorder.
Paintings in this manner were made for collectors who wanted drama, authority, and romance—works that feel convincingly maritime while still delivering the theatre of a victory picture.
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Signed
Unsigned, which is common for English School marine paintings of this period and entirely consistent with works produced for the decorative and collector market in the early 19th century.
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Size
Canvas (approx.): 59 × 49 cm
Framed: 74 cm (W) × 64 cm (H)
Frame depth: 4.5 cm
(Measurements are approximate and taken to the nearest practical centimetre.)
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Framed
Presented in a substantial, ornate giltwood frame of classical profile with foliate ornament and an inner beaded (“pearled”) slip. It gives the picture real presence on the wall and suits the painting’s period character exceptionally well.
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Provenance
From a private Oxfordshire marine collection (per consignor), retaining a Right Angle Gallery, Brackley historic framing label, and subsequently sold through notable auction house JS Fine Art Auctioneers. Curated and offered by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD (Fine Art Trade Guild member). Exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum in January 2026.
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Why You’ll Love It
A highly desirable War of 1812 collector subject with enduring Americana appeal
Features USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), among the most iconic warships in United States naval history
Strong early-19th-century romantic marine aesthetic: smoke, wind, sea, and action in balance
Executed in the manner of Thomas Buttersworth, a key name for collectors of British marine painting
A practical, display-friendly size with excellent wall presence for a library, study, or curated maritime interior
Provenance includes a private marine collection and an identified auction record
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Condition Report
Overall in good antique condition consistent with age. The canvas has been relined, and the paint surface presents as stable with expected historical craquelure and foxing patina. There is minor historical overpainting, specifically to part of the sail of the third ship along, and to a small area of the lower sea. These are limited restorations and do not detract from the overall presentation or impact.
The gilt frame shows expected handling wear and ageing consistent with its decorative purpose and age, and it presents very well. Photos form part of the description please examine closely.
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