The British fleet off Kronborg Castle, Elsinore, 28 March 1801 [before the Battle of Copenhagen],...

Creator: Nicholas Pocock The British fleet under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, with Nelson (flying blue at the fore) as second-in-command, is shown here during its southward passage of the Sound in the run-up to the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. The ships in the middle of the line are exchanging fire with the 16th century Kronborg Castle at Elsinore on the Danish shore. The neutral Swedish coast at Halsinborg is just visible on the right. The 'Monarch' is in the lead and Nelson is shown in the 74-gun 'Elephant' (Captain Thomas Foley), into which he had shifted his flag from the three-decker 'St George' just before passing the Sound. The drawing is signed and dated twice, 1810 lower left and 1805 lower right, which suggests it is a repetition of the 1805 version. The Museum also has an even earlier version dated January 1802.