Bennetter Naval battle 1876 {1884} NGV [PA]

Bennetter, Johan Jacob (1822-1904; Norwegian)
Fight between the ship of the line, Jupiter, and the French frigate, Preneuse, in the neighbourhood of Madagascar 11th October, 1799  1876
Oil on canvas, 138.6 x 220.3 cm
Purchased, 1884
National Gallery of Victoria (p.310.7-1)

This canvas, purchased in Melbourne, typifies the
popular seascape genre of the period.

Bennetter, who had a seafaring background, produced many similar works. Two of his canvases were acquired by the Ballarat Art Gallery in 1888 and 1894.

Refs.

AR 1884, p.35 (giving the date of the battle as 27^thJuly 1799); NGV 1894, p.3 (I.La Trobe Gallery, no.1; ill.); NGV 1905, p.8 (I.La Trobe Gallery, no.12; ill.) [£300] 

The NGV catalogue notes that the work was exhibited at Fletcher’s Art Gallery, Melb., 1884; and then with Koekkoek & Sons, Melb.

For the artist, see Bénézit 2, p.168 and AKL9 (1994), pp.115-16 (both indicating the biographical dates noted above). For the paintings in Ballarat, refer https://artgalleryofballarat.com.au/collection/; and for reproductions of other works by him, see also http://www.artnet.com/artists/johan-jakob-bennetter/past-auction-results