Lot 1005

Description

Painting, 'The Battle of the Cocos Islands' a watercolour by Philip J.Gray, 62cm x 39cm, framed and glazed (90cm x 89cm) in a metallic silver moulding, signed lower right. Very fine.

On the 9th November 1914 the Light Cruiser HMAS Sydney engaged the German Light Cruiser SMS Emden within sight of the beach at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, immediately following an attempt by the Germans to dismantle a communications post on the island. Up to then Emden had been a commerce raider in the region under the command of Karl von Muller. Muller opened fire first at long range and John Gossop commanding the Sydney responded scoring several direct hits, effectively putting the Emden out of action, killing and wounding many of her crew before Muller beached the ship to save further loss of life. Sydney fire more shots at Emden when she was attempting to beach.

The painting, one of a series of important historical maritime topics by this artist is the culminatio of careful research. Gray's work has been collected by enthusiasts of the maritime genre in Australia and Europe. Two of his pieces are held in the Pictures Collection of the State Library of Victoria and others are widely published inprint and through television media.