The Capture of the El Gamo

The Capture of the El Gamo is an 1845 oil painting by the English painter Clarkson Frederick Stanfield. Combining marine art and history painting, it depicts the action of 6 May 1801, which was fought between the British brig-sloop and the Spanish xebec-frigate off Barcelona during the War of the Second Coalition. Despite being much weaker in terms of her size, crew and firepower, Speedy captured El Gamo. The battle boosted the reputation of Speedys young commander, Lord Cochrane.
Stanfield was a former sailor who specialised in marine art, having painted the The Battle of Trafalgar in 1836. The work was commissioned by Commander Charles Spencer Ricketts, who had served in the battle, and was displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts' Summer Exhibition of 1845 at the National Gallery. The painting is currently in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, which acquired it in 1901.