BICENTENNIAL OF THE UNITED STATES

[aukepalmhof]

French Polynesia issued 1976 two stamps for the Bicentennial of the United States, the 24F stamp gives that is depict the Battle of the Saints of 1782 but actually it shows us the Battle of Trafalgar of 1805. Wikipedia has more on this painting after which the stamp is designed.

The actual title of the image is unknown, painted in 1836 by it Mayer, it is suggested that the information about the painting was lost during WWII and it was given incorrect background and title when recovered. The picture is one of six that Mayer painted in 1836 about the struggle and fights of the ship of the line BUCENTAURE during the Battle of Trafalgar (cf. Musée Nationale de la Marine website).
The ship in the foreground on right (firing to the BUCENTAURE is the British 2nd-rate SANDWICH, not present at Trafalgar, actually being hulked for harbour duty at the time. It is therefore generally held that the SANDWICH is actually the British 2nd-rate TEMERAIRE, incorrectly titled by the artist, and the dismasted ship in the foreground left is the French 74-gun 3rd-rate REDOUTABLE.
Research shows that the French ship in the foreground is actually BUCENTAURE, as the figurehead is that of BUCENTAURE, the ship is a two-decker fitting the description and design of BUCENTAUR, and the men clustered around the mainmast fit with the events aboard the BUCENTAURE during the battle.

More info on the BUCENTAURE is given on viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17553&p=20915#p20915

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traf ... _Mayer.jpg
French Polynesia 1976 24f sg 212, scott