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The Lord Nelson fanclub: Exhibition reveals Britain's fascination with Navy hero that prompted paintings, badges and even pipes
- Exhibition reveals how Admiral Lord Nelson and Admiral Vernon were celebrated through unusual memorablia
- National Maritime Museum collection looks at Navy's involvement in Battle of Portobello and Battle of Trafalgar
- Star attraction is The Fall of Nelson painting by Denis Dighton, which shows moment Nelson was shot in 1805
By MARK DUELL
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While you may think badges and posters honouring celebrities are a reasonably recent idea, they were in fact being produced more than 200 years ago.
In an age where men at sea rather than singers, actors and athletes were the stars of the day, there was still plenty of money to be made in merchandise.
From pipes to badge-like discs, entrepreneurs began to produce memorabilia of one of the 18th and 19th century’s biggest celebrities - Navy heroes.
Frenetic battle: The Fall of Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, by Denis Dighton in 1825. On the right, Nelson is portrayed at the moment he falls on his left side. Captain Hardy, with his back to the viewer, advances to assist Royal Marine Sergeant Secker, who is already at Nelson's side on HMS Victory
Memorabilia: A mug is pictured left with a black and white portrait of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, inscribed above 'England Expects every Man to do his Duty', from 1806. On the right, there is a metal disc from 1740, decorated with a depiction of another Navy hero, Admiral Edward Vernon, facing to the left with a ship behind him
These pictures show how as well as being painted into now-famous pieces of artwork, the likes of Admiral Lord Nelson were celebrated in merchandise.
Also recognised in a metal disc was Admiral Vernon, who in 1739 captured Portobello from the Spanish - and was a precursor to Nelson's celebrity status.
A remarkable collection at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, south-east London, is showing how sea-faring heroes became British celebrities.
The exhibition looks at how the Navy shaped the course of British history in a period when it became a greater focus of public life than ever before.
Spectacular: The 'Royal George' at Deptford Showing the Launch of the 'Cambridge' by John Cleveley the Elder, in 1757. This picture is a composite of two events, set at Deptford, combining the launch of the 'Cambridge', on October 21 1755 with a view of the 'Royal George', 100 guns, which was in reality launched a year later at Woolwich Dockyard. The painting shows considerable shipping detail and activities on the quayside, with a variety of small open craft, some clearly bearing official parties
Old and young: On the left is Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson by Lemuel Francis Abbott in 1799. It is a half-length portrait depicting Nelson when he was a rear-admiral, facing forward with his head turned to the left. On the right is Captain Horatio Nelson by John Francis Rigaud in 1781. Although the portrait was begun in 1777, when Nelson was a lieutenant, it was not finished until at least 1781 when he had returned to England as a captain
James Davey, the museum's naval history curator, told MailOnline: ‘The 18th century was a period when Britain was at war more often than at peace.
'The Navy rose to unprecedented popularity across the nation'
James Davey, naval history curator
‘The Navy rose to unprecedented popularity across the nation. When you're talking about the Navy in this period, you're talking about a national endeavour.
‘It's not just the 140,000 who served in it in its height in the 1810s. There were also thousands working in the dockyard, farms, forests and mines.
‘We want to show how the Navy has shaped the lives of British people. In times of victory, the Navy was celebrated and people like Nelson were heroes.
Below deck: The Death of Nelson, 21 October 1805, by Arthur William Devis. The exhibition Nelson, Navy, Nation explores the Navy’s impact upon ordinary people while also providing a setting for the National Maritime Museum’s huge collections relating to Admiral Lord Nelson
Remembering a hero: On the left, a plaster-life mask of Nelson from circa 1800, with his eyes open and hair parted in centre. The hair was added by modelling. It was for many years believed to be a death mask but there is no contemporary reference to a mask being taken after Nelson's death. On the right, is a prattware pipe from circa 1798, modelled as a half length figure of Nelson. His right arm is missing, and he wears a uniform coat, waistcoat and ruffled shirt
‘We can show how people across Britain brought the Navy into their homes, using ceramics to decorate their bedrooms and dining rooms.’
Mr Davey added of the metal disc commemorating Admiral Vernon: ‘Vernon's victory (at Portobello) basically turned him into a national celebrity.
‘It's like a football poster on a wall. This is happening just a time in Britain where consumer goods like this are becoming cheaper.
‘You might have clipped it to your clothing, so it was a public way of displaying not only your affections for this leader, but also displaying your patriotism.’
Astonishing: Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt; - Destruction of Revolutionary Crocodiles; - or - The British Hero cleansing ye mouth of ye Nile by James Gillray; H. Humphrey, 1798. This celebrates Nelson's resounding victory over the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Nelson stands in the mouth of the river capturing and culling tri-coloured crocodiles. The biblical plagues of Egypt of the title are transformed into crocodiles, which stand in turn for the French ships taken or destroyed
Shooting practice: A Sea Service pistol from circa 1790 is pictured left. And a cut paper picture commemorating Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson from circa 1806 is seen right. The inscription reads: 'This the Great Warrier [sic] after all his Toil [pair of hearts and doves]/From Whom whilst living none could take the spoile,/,Dropt is his prime and made the Grave his Bed [heart and arrows] / Whom late all Nations did both love and Dread / The ever to be lamented death of Vice admiral lord viscount Nelson'
Also in the collection was a Nelson pipe produced following the Battle of the Nile. Mr Davey said: ‘In 1798, people had known about Nelson before.
'People across Britain brought the Navy into their homes, using ceramics to decorate their bedrooms and dining rooms'
James Davey, naval history curator
‘But the Battle of the Nile was the first one he had commanded a fleet and won. This is what turned him into a national celebrity.
‘So you get an incredible range of weird and wonderful goods. The likeness isn't particularly accurate, but it's the kind of thing that a middle-class person would love.’
One of the star attractions of the exhibition - called Nelson, Navy, Nation and opening on Trafalgar Day, October 21 2013 - is a painting by Denis Dighton.
The Fall of Nelson, from the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21 1805, painted in 1825, portrays the moment when Nelson was fatally shot.
Artefacts: A full-length figurehead is pictured left, depicting a heraldic crowned lion, holding a small badge of the cross of Saint George at the breast. This is a rare survival of a standard Royal Naval lion figurehead from a small warship probably of the fourth or fifth rate. On the right is a heart-shaped earthenware scent bottle, transfer-printed in pink with a profile portrait of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson
Posed up: Captain Lord George Graham, 1715-47, in his Cabin, by William Hogarth in 1742-44. Graham is shown at dinner with his civilian secretary and companion. The singer between them is accompanied by a servant playing a fife and drum
The battle saw a fleet of 27 ships led by Nelson on HMS Victory defeat 33 French and Spanish ships off south-west Spain, near Cape Trafalgar.
Nelson was famously killed in the battle, while his French counterpart, Admiral Villeneuve, was captured along with the French flagship Bucentaure.
Mr Davey, 30, said: ‘Nelson's tactics at Trafalgar ensured there would be a decisive outcome - but a fierce fight.
‘This painting, which was probably painted about 20 years after the battle, shows Nelson being hit by a French musket ball and falling to the deck.
‘Nelson is subsequently carried below deck where he slowly dies. This painting also gives a wonderful insight into the frenetic aspect of fighting at sea.'
- The Nelson, Navy, Nation exhibition opens at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, south-east London, on October 21 2013
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2333382/Nelson-Navy-heroes-hailed-celebrities-18th-century-Britain.html#ixzz2V3O822Ne
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