Combat naval dans la rade de Fort Royal de la Martinique, 18 décembre 1779

De Cercy employed oil paint to achieve a dynamic, detailed representation of the battle. The composition features billowing sails, a hazy, golden-lit sky, and a sense of chaos, reflecting the artist’s dual background in naval service and marine art.

Painted in 1800 by Auguste-Louis de Rossel de Cercy, the work is now part of the Palace of Versailles collection, indicating its historical and artistic significance to French heritage.

The Battle of Martinique was a key event in the Anglo-French War, and the painting’s creation in 1800 may have served as a nostalgic or patriotic reflection on past naval conflicts during a time of ongoing European warfare.

As a historical marine painting, it provides a visual record of 18th-century naval warfare and contributes to the artistic legacy of French marine painting, though its broader influence on the development of maritime art is not prominently distinguished.