Summary

Licensing

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of an original two-dimensional work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This work is in the public domain in the United States, and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years or less. This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain, and that claims to the contrary represent an assault on the very concept of a public domain". For details, see Commons:When to use the PD-Art tag. This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain. Please be aware that depending on local laws, re-use of this content may be prohibited or restricted in your jurisdiction. See Commons:Reuse of PD-Art photographs.

Photo's description:

Vistas of Portsmouth Harbour from the open sea, showing warships entering or leaving port, have been a common theme for generations of British marine artists, whereas views from inside the harbour looking out are far rarer. In this engaging composition by Dominic Serres, he not only displays his usual artistry in the fine portrayal of the arriving man-o'war shortening sail at the harbour mouth, but also provides an unaccustomed perspective of Fort Blockhouse as it was in the final quarter of the eighteenth century, before the subsequent alterations completed in 1816 radically transformed its appearance. The short spit of land, known as 'The Point', on the western side of the harbour entrance was first fortified in 1417 after the French sacked and burned both Portsmouth and Gosport during the Hundred Years' War. Improved in 1495 to accommodate "five pieces of ordnance" (cannon) in the earliest reference to "the King's Blokkehouse", there were many other additions and alterations over the next two centuries, although these were usually interspersed with long periods of neglect in times of peace. Substantially rebuilt between 1708 and 1714 to counter the threat posed by the War of the Spanish Succession, a new powder magazine was added in 1748 after which the gun platforms were renewed in 1755. By the time the eighteenth century drew to a close, the fort had become, as one later commentator remarked, "a motley collection of buildings of indeterminate age and doubtful architectural interest" and, indeed, once the French Revolutionary Wars began in 1793, yet another decision was taken to transform and modernise it. Surviving pictures of its pre-1793 appearance are therefore extremely scarce and this particular view is a pleasing addition to the repertory.