Commissioned by Admiral Augustus Keppel, Viscount Keppel (1725-1786);
Thence by descent

Alan Russett, Dominic Serres, R.A. 2001, p. 39

This important topographical view of the capital of the Breton island of Belleisle was painted in 1763, and is one of a set of seven paintings commemorating the capture of the island by the British in 1761. It was commissioned by Augustus Keppel whose expert command of the naval contribution played such a big part in the success of the action. Keppel was an important early patron of the French born artist Dominic Serres, for whom he also painted pictures of two more of Keppel's triumphs, the capture of Goree in 1758 and the capture of Havana in 1762.

Belleisle, the largest of the Breton islands, is situated off the southern most part of Brittany, just south of Quiberon. Originally owned by the Abbey of St. Croix in Quimperle, it was fortified at various times, notably in 1549 when, on the order of Henry II, the Vauban citadel (shown in this painting) was built in Le Palais. In 1650 the island was bought by Fouquet, Louis XIV's notorious superintendant, and he completed the fortifications and kept a private fleet in the harbour. The present picture shows a view of Le Palais, the island's capital, from the east with the Citadel prominent in the centre.

The action commemorated by Serres took place in 1761. The thirty-six year old Keppel, by then an experienced officer who had fought prominently in the great action of Quiberon Bay a few years earlier, was put in charge of a squadron which was to work with the army to capture Belleisle. Such islands off the French coast, particularly with strong fortifications, were seen as a continual threat to the British navy and as an important part of any possible invasion of England by the French. The action began on 8th April with an attack on Port Andro on the south-eastern corner of the island. Troops were sent to land following a bombardment, but were forced to retire. However a few weeks later an assault on Fort d'Arfic was successful and a bridgehead set up. Brigadier General Lambert was put in charge of a successful diversionary attack further west at St Foy and another was made on the far north of the island at Sauzon to the west of the capital. The troops then advanced on the capital which surrendered on 8th June after a brief siege. This painting shows the view of the capital from one of the British batteries with the damage to Vauban's citadel clearly visible.

Much of the credit for such a successful collaboration between the navy and the army went to Augustus Keppel. The second son of William, 2nd Earl of Albemarle and his wife Anne, daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, Keppel entered the navy at the age of ten. At the age of fifteen he served with Anson on his celebrated voyage of circumnavigation and on his return in 1744 was confirmed as Lieutenant. In 1749 he was made Commodore in the Mediterranean, and took with him on the Centurion the young artist, Joshua Reynolds, whose portrait of Keppel is one of the artist's greatest masterpieces. In 1756 Keppel moved to the Torbay and in 1758 he successfully commanded the naval contribution to the capture of Goree off the west African coast. In 1759 the Torbay was prominent in Hawke's great victory at Quiberon Bay. Following the capture of Belleisle, he was sent as naval second in command under Admiral Pocock to Havana. The success of this action led to his promotion to Rear-Admiral, but his health suffered severely and his later career did not live up to his early promise.

The artist chosen by Keppel to commemorate his three great triumphs was the French born Dominic Serres, who came to England in the late 1740's having been taken prisoner by the British in Havana. The paintings of Belleisle were the result of an important collaboration with Richard Short, a naval purser and skilled draughtsman, who served between 1757 and 1763 in the Prince of Orange and participated in a number of significant actions. Serres based his paintings on sketches by Short who had been present at the action. Serres had earlier worked with Short on his early views of Quebec of 1760 and of Halifax a few years later. Short arranged for the seven pictures to be published as engravings in 1763, and these were later republished in 1777 by John Boydell. Five of the seven plates were dedicated to Keppel.