William Lionel Wyllie RA (1851-1931) - HMS Warrior and Warspite at Jutland 1916

William Lionel Wyllie was one of the foremost British marine artists towards the end of the 19th century and at the start of the 20th century. He was a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy (as well as being a Royal Academician) and was proficient in oils, watercolours and etchings. He had a great skill in etchings and was involved in the entire process himself. He used copper plates and then destroyed them after completing his modest output to make sure the works remained highly collectable. His skill as an etcher remains almost unrivalled amongst his contemporaries as he always managed to display both detail and atmosphere in each work.  Wyllie would sign his etchings in pencil and we only sell original works by the artist.
 
This etching depicts H.M.S 'Warrior' and 'Warspite' at the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916 at about 6.25 PM during WWI. Warspite is under fire from five German battleships with the heavily damaged cruiser Warrior on the right trying to withdraw. Wyllie also produced a large oil painting of this composition that was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1917.
 
Medium: Etching and drypoint on wove paper, signed in pencil l.l. 'W L WYLLIE', 20 x 41 cm, mounted.
 
Bibliography:
 
[1] W L Wyllie, C Owen and C Kirkpatrick, 'More Sea Fights of the Great War', Cassell and Company Ltd, London: 1919.
 
Condition report: small amounts of foxing and time staining, please see photographs.