The ‘Art’ of Admiralty… The Incomparable HOOD!

WITH NO APOLOGIES, THE INCOMPARABLE HOOD! Even those younger members of the NR cannot fail to be blown away by the lines, the grace, the sheer power of this beautiful leviathan! Although this watercolour of Hood is dated 1929 by Cull, its provenance within the family that owns the original tells us it was painted for Captain John Im Thurn who commanded her for the Special Service Squadron world cruise of 1923–1924. A glance at the foremast, however, shows Hood flying a rear admiral’s flag so this watercolour was executed before 5 November 1923 when she became a vice admiral’s flagship. HMS Hoo…