SWAINE, Francis (1740-1782).
Attack on Fort Martinique...
Oil on canvas.
Signed lower left: "Swaine" and inscribed indistinctly.
24" x 35" canvas, 30" x 41" framed.

Martinique, an island in the Eastern Caribbean, was the site of a pivotal battle during the Seven Years War that culminated in the British capture of the French-occupied sugar colony. Major General Robert Monckton led the capture of Martinique in January of 1762. At this time, Martinique had resisted attack three years prior when the British captured the nearby French sugar colony of Guadeloupe. The attack led by General Monckton was fought on steep and uneven terrain, culminating at the high ground of Morne Grenier. The British gained the upper hand when they overtook the hill and secured firing positions over the French fort, forcing the French to surrender at Fort Royal on February 4th. This victory proved Monckton's skill as a leader, defeating the French forces in a matter of weeks. The battle proved a significant victory for the British, helping to end France's position as a major colonial power in the Americas. Francis Swaine painted this picture for General Monckton shortly after the capture of Martinique.

Francis Swaine (1725–1782) was a British marine painter born in London. Though little is known of his early life and career, he was a popular artist of his time and regularly displayed works at the Society of Artists and the Free Society of Artists. Swaine was demonstrably influenced by the style of the painter Peter Monamy (1681-1749), who was his instructor. In Mark Noble's Biographical History of England, 1806, under the entry for Monamy, it is stated that "Swaine, of Stretton Ground, Westminster, his disciple, and bred under him, was an excellent painter of moon-light pieces." This remark is well confirmed by his painting "Capture of the Foudroyant". In his painting of Martinique, Swain’s ability to capture the luminous qualities of light on the water is clearly displayed; as the shadows of clouds overhead darken areas of the sea and patches of light illuminate choppy waves. The smoke rising from the fort and the canons on the crest of this hill are the only indications that a battle is being waged in this otherwise calm scene. Today, several of Francis Swain’s works are held in the National Maritime Museum in London.