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LOT 27*

James Paterson PRSW RSA RWS, (British, 1854-1932)

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The German Fleet After Surrender - Firth of Forth 21 November 1918 103 x 183.5 cm. (40 9/16 x 72 1/4 in.)

The German Fleet After Surrender - Firth of Forth 21 November 1918
signed and dated 'James Paterson/1918' (lower left) and bears inscription 'The German Fleet - Firth of Forth/21 November 1918 - After Surrender/as seen from HMS Revenge, Flagship - First Battle Squadron/James Paterson R.S.A./2 Belford Road, Edinburgh' (verso)
oil on canvas
103 x 183.5 cm. (40 9/16 x 72 1/4 in.)

Provenance
Sale; Christie's, Glasgow, 26th November 1997, Lot 542
Property of a Nobleman

Exhibited
London, Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition, 1919, no. 325
Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Academy, Annual Exhibition, 1919, no.185

Two weeks before the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918, Admiral Hipper's bold plan for one last decisive strike against the British Grand Fleet was thwarted by a mutiny of his own crews who felt the War was already lost. Within a week, his entire fleet was flying the 'red flag' [of Communism] and all the ships, as well as the naval dockyards at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, had fallen under the control of delegates of a 'Soviet of Workers, Soldiers and Sailors'. Under the terms of the Armistice, which this embryo revolution was forced to accept, Germany's warships were to be surrendered and interned under Allied surveillance in the Royal Navy's main fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow, in the Orkneys, and this monumental work depicts the first phase of the humiliation to come.

The German fleet, still the second largest in the world despite some wartime losses, sailed from Wilhelmshaven on 20th November under the command of Admiral von Reuter, and formed itself into a single column stretching over 50km in length for the slow journey up through the North Sea. The Grand Fleet, with Admiral Beatty in command, put to sea early on the morning of 21st November and, upon reaching open water, formed up into two gigantic parallel columns to await the German ships which were sighted soon after 8.00am. By 9.30am, the light cruiser H.M.S. Cardiff had led them through the two columns of the Grand Fleet to a pre-appointed position, after which Beatty turned his fleet sixteen points westwards to escort the enemy into harbour. The arrangements were flawless and the German ships were all at their designated anchorages in the Firth of Forth by noon when they received a signal from Beatty stating that "the German flag is to be hauled down at 15.57 (sunset) today and is not to be hoisted again without permission". It was a bitter blow for the officers and men of the once mighty German High Seas Fleet and one which became known forever after as "Der Tag" ["The Day!"] Four days later, the transfer to Scapa Flow began and, by 27th November, every German ship – each one manned by only a token crew – was at her semi-permanent mooring and awaiting its fate.

In this large-scale composition, Paterson painted the scene just as he himself had witnessed it from the deck of the aptly-named battleship Revenge. The following morning, the Glasgow Herald spoke of "the greatest naval surrender in the world's history", which indeed it was, whilst The Scotsman went even further stating it to be "the most remarkable event in the history of naval warfare". Whichever statement historians may wish to support, this painting provides a painstakingly accurate record of the defeated German fleet's brief sojourn in the Firth of Forth prior to its final journey north to Scapa Flow.

Paterson also painted a smaller (approximately half-size) version of this work which is currently held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.

We would like to thank Michael Naxton for his assistance with the cataloguing of this painting.

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The German Fleet After Surrender - Firth of Forth 21 November 1918 103 x 183.5 cm. (40 9/16 x 72 1/4 in.)

The German Fleet After Surrender - Firth of Forth 21 November 1918
signed and dated 'James Paterson/1918' (lower left) and bears inscription 'The German Fleet - Firth of Forth/21 November 1918 - After Surrender/as seen from HMS Revenge, Flagship - First Battle Squadron/James Paterson R.S.A./2 Belford Road, Edinburgh' (verso)
oil on canvas
103 x 183.5 cm. (40 9/16 x 72 1/4 in.)

Provenance
Sale; Christie's, Glasgow, 26th November 1997, Lot 542
Property of a Nobleman

Exhibited
London, Royal Academy, Summer Exhibition, 1919, no. 325
Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Academy, Annual Exhibition, 1919, no.185

Two weeks before the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918, Admiral Hipper's bold plan for one last decisive strike against the British Grand Fleet was thwarted by a mutiny of his own crews who felt the War was already lost. Within a week, his entire fleet was flying the 'red flag' [of Communism] and all the ships, as well as the naval dockyards at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, had fallen under the control of delegates of a 'Soviet of Workers, Soldiers and Sailors'. Under the terms of the Armistice, which this embryo revolution was forced to accept, Germany's warships were to be surrendered and interned under Allied surveillance in the Royal Navy's main fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow, in the Orkneys, and this monumental work depicts the first phase of the humiliation to come.

The German fleet, still the second largest in the world despite some wartime losses, sailed from Wilhelmshaven on 20th November under the command of Admiral von Reuter, and formed itself into a single column stretching over 50km in length for the slow journey up through the North Sea. The Grand Fleet, with Admiral Beatty in command, put to sea early on the morning of 21st November and, upon reaching open water, formed up into two gigantic parallel columns to await the German ships which were sighted soon after 8.00am. By 9.30am, the light cruiser H.M.S. Cardiff had led them through the two columns of the Grand Fleet to a pre-appointed position, after which Beatty turned his fleet sixteen points westwards to escort the enemy into harbour. The arrangements were flawless and the German ships were all at their designated anchorages in the Firth of Forth by noon when they received a signal from Beatty stating that "the German flag is to be hauled down at 15.57 (sunset) today and is not to be hoisted again without permission". It was a bitter blow for the officers and men of the once mighty German High Seas Fleet and one which became known forever after as "Der Tag" ["The Day!"] Four days later, the transfer to Scapa Flow began and, by 27th November, every German ship – each one manned by only a token crew – was at her semi-permanent mooring and awaiting its fate.

In this large-scale composition, Paterson painted the scene just as he himself had witnessed it from the deck of the aptly-named battleship Revenge. The following morning, the Glasgow Herald spoke of "the greatest naval surrender in the world's history", which indeed it was, whilst The Scotsman went even further stating it to be "the most remarkable event in the history of naval warfare". Whichever statement historians may wish to support, this painting provides a painstakingly accurate record of the defeated German fleet's brief sojourn in the Firth of Forth prior to its final journey north to Scapa Flow.

Paterson also painted a smaller (approximately half-size) version of this work which is currently held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.

We would like to thank Michael Naxton for his assistance with the cataloguing of this painting.

[ translate ]
Sale price
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Estimate
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Time, Location
14 Oct 2021
UK, Edinburgh
Auction House
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