Charles J Lundgren (New York, Connecticut, 1911 - 1988) "Mary Rose" Signed lower right. Original oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This artwork was originally published on the Fleetwood Proofcard for the Great Britain Maritime stamps issued June 16, 1982. On July 19, 1545, King Henry VIII and his court festively gathered on the northeast corner of the Isle of Wight to watch the English fleet, including the Mary Rose, sail into battle against an invading French navy just offshore. Just after midday the Mary Rose advanced on four leading French galleys. The sea was calm and Henry VIII's prized flagship bored on toward her enemy. But, suddenly, tragedy struck. The Mary Rose heeled over and quickly sank. Most of the crew of the doomed ship of over 715 men drowned in full view of the aghast King and his court. An official English inquiry determined that panic occurred among the inexperienced crew of the Mary Rose when a sudden strong gust of wind hit the ship as the sails were being hoisted. According to the inquiry, a clumsy tack and a sharp heel allowed tons of murky water to pour through the open gun ports and carry the H.M.S. Mary Rose and her terrified crew fifty feet down to a watery grave. The French historian, du Bellay, tells a different story: "Fortune favored our fleet ... among other damages which the English received, the 'Mary Rose,' one of their principal ships, was sunk by our cannon, and of the hundreds of men which were on board, only five and thirty escaped." Whether the Mary Rose sank from French gunfire or as the result of mishandling by her crew remained as much a mystery to the King as it does to us, over four centuries later. Image Size: 18 x 20.5 in. Overall Size: 25 x 27 in. Unframed. (B06208)