Nelson Boarding the San Josef

Nelson Boarding the San Josef is an oil on canvas history painting by the British artist George Jones, from 1829.

Nelson Boarding the San Josef
Artist	George Jones
Year	1829
Type	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	162.5 cm × 223.5 cm (64.0 in × 88.0 in)
Location	National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

History and description

It depicts the boarding and capture of the Spanish ship-of-the-line San Josef by the British Royal Navy at the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797. It emphasises the role played by Horatio Nelson, the future victor of the Battle of the Nile and Battle of Trafalgar.^[1]

It was one of four paintings commissioned by the British Institution for the sum of £500, to encourage British history painting and to be displayed at Greenwich Hospital.^[2] Jones, a former army officer and member of the Royal Academy, was known for his war paintings such as The Battle of Vittoria and The Battle of Waterloo (both 1822) which were bought by George IV for St James's Palace. The work was displayed at the British Institution's annual exhibition in 1829.^[3] Richard Westall had previously painted a scene of Nelson taking the surrender of the San Nicolas shortly before the San Josef was boarded.

Today Jones' painting is in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.^[4]