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[The Cadiz Expedition.] D. Fernando Giron.
[The Cadiz Expedition.] D. Fernando Giron. El cuadro original existe en el R.l Museo de Madrid.
Eugenio Caxés lo pintó [but Francisco de Zurbarán]. F. Decraene lo lit.o. J. de Madrazo lo dirigio.
Imp. en el R.l Est.o lit.o de Madrid. [n.d., c.1830.]
Lithograph. Sheet 430 x 380mm (17 x 15"), with blindstamp in inscription area. Laid on album paper.
A portrait of Don Fernando Girón and his commanders during the successful defence of the city during the English 'Cadiz Expedition' of 1625. The elderly Girón sits in a sedan chair with his deputy commander, Diego Ruiz, standing before him. Behind can be seen different moments in the siege, with the naval attacks and land battles, including the English being chased back to their boats. The 'Cadiz Expedition' was an ill-conceived attempt by the Duke of Buckingham to gain prestige by emulating the exploits of the Elizabethan adventurers. In the autumn of 1625 nearly 100 ships and a total of 15,000 men were sent to attack Cadiz under Sir Edward Cecil, a capable soldier, but completely inexperienced at sea. Having faced heavy storms on the way they missed their main objective, a treasure ship from the Americas; and when Cecil landed his troops he realised he didn't have the supplies to maintain them. The landed troops resorted to scavenging, and unfortunately found too many wine vats. When Cecil gave the inevitable order to withdraw over a thousand troops were left behind, so drunk that the counter-attacking Spanish could run them through where they lay (depicted by the building at the centre of the background). The expedition cost the English an estimated £250,000, and in 1626, when Parliament attempted to impeach Buckingham for the ineptitude of the planning, Charles I had to dissolve Parliament to protect his favourite. Although attributed here to Eugenio Caxés, the painting was painted by Francisco de Zurbarán in 1634 and is now in the Prado Museum. This lithograph is from the 'Colección lithographica de cuadros del rey de España el señor Fernando VII'.
BM: 1858,0417.852. From a scrapbook compiled by Rev. Willaim Bradford (1780-1857), Chaplain and war artist during the Peninsula Wars.
[Ref: 33303]   £280.00   (£336.00 incl.VAT)
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