The above painting shows two British sailing ships engaging one Turkish and one Egyptian ship. The Turkish and Egyptian vessels on the left and right bear a red flag with a white crescent, while the English ships in the center have white flags with a blue and red cross, respectively. More ships can be seen in the background. Smoke and fire billow from the Turkish ship on the left. In the foreground, there are sailors clinging to remains of a presumably sunken vessel. This painting bucks the trend of heroic and romantic art of the early 19th-century and portrays a horrifying and chaotic battle scene. The battle of Navarino resulted from the decision of Britain, Russia, and France to end the Greek war by fighting against the Ottoman Empire. The battle was a resounding success for the pro-Greek alliance, and it saved the fledgling Greek state from collapse.
