1820 Sutherland, Capture of the Rivoli, 1812, maritime, ship, aquatint

The Battle of Pirano (also known as the Battle of Grado) on 22 February 1812 was a minor naval action of the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars fought between a British and a French ship of the line in the vicinity of the towns of Piran and Grado in Adriatic Sea. The French Rivoli, named for Napoleon's victory 15 years earlier, had been recently completed at Venice. The French naval authorities intended her to bolster French forces in the Adriatic, following a succession of defeats in the preceding year.

To prevent this ship challenging British dominance in the theatre, the Royal Navy ordered a ship of the line from the Mediterranean fleet to intercept and capture Rivoli on her maiden voyage. Captain John Talbot of HMS Victorious arrived off Venice in mid-February and blockaded the port. When Rivoli attempted to escape under cover of fog, Talbot chased her and forced her to surrender in a five-hour battle, Rivoli losing over half her crew wounded or dead.

J.W. Andrew, artist; Sutherland, Thomas, engraver

Capture of the Rivoli, Feb. 22nd., 1812.

Grey toned aquatint.

Dimensions: 16.2 x 24.3 cm

Engraved by T. Sutherland for The Naval Chronology of Great Britain by J. Ralfe, published 1820.