Burnell Poole

Poole was commissioned by the Navy as a war artist to paint oil canvases of warships at sea.

Many of these were unfinished on his death in 1939, and some were destroyed in a warehouse fire, but the remainder provide a view of the ships of the time and their dazzle camouflage.

Describing one of these paintings, now held by the Naval Historical Foundation, the artist commented that "This painting depicts the U.S. Destroyer Allen escorting the troop transport Leviathan through the danger zone on a typical dull day in the North Atlantic in rough weather.

He took the opportunity to paint images of the British fleet, becoming the Royal Navy's official artist.

[1] He has been described as "among the most accomplished marine artists of the first half of the 20th century"; he left many aquatints of yachts and other maritime scenes.