Charcoal Sketch of Captain Alan Villiers (1903-1982) on the Film Set of "John Paul Jones." This striking image depicts the seafaring legend dressed in period regalia during shooting of the climactic battle between Jones's vessel Bonhomme Richard and the British frigate Serapis. Villiers served as consultant for the film and eventually settled on shooting in Dania, Spain, all while working on writing "The Story of Louis de Rochemont's Windjammer" and "Give Me a Ship to Sail." The film, released in 1959, was a box office failure compared to most other historic epics produced at the time, with a budget of $5 million and a gross of just $1 million. The sketch is framed and signed "J.L.G." bottom left. An inscription bottom right gives the full context of the image: "The fire's within inches of the magazine sir!" is at top, referring to the damage to the Bonhomme Richard that nearly blew the ship apart during the eight hour battle with the Serapis. "(Capt. Villiers)" and "Alan Villiers on board 'Serapis' off Denia Spain /58" is written below it, indicating his position and work on the scene, making this a one-of-a-kind piece of naval and film memorabilia. 

Overall Size: 23 x 20 1/2 in. 

Sight Size: 12 1/2 x 10 in. 

Captain Alan Villiers (1903-1982) was an Australian-born mariner, author, photographer, and adventurer who dedicated his life to documenting the final era of traditional commercial sail. He went to sea at age 15, eventually commanding square-rigged ships like the Joseph Conrad and serving as master of the replica Mayflower II on its 1957 trans-Atlantic voyage. During World War II he commanded landing craft for the Royal Navy, earning the Distinguished Service Cross. A prolific author and journalist, Villiers wrote over 30 books, including Falmouth for Orders and Sons of Sinbad, while extensively capturing maritime life through photographs and motion pictures. His lifelong work solidified his status as one of the last legends of the Age of Adventure, and made him one of the most prominent chroniclers of tall ships as well as a champion and pioneer of modern sail-training traditions. 

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