L'ARTESIEN 64-GUN SHIP 1764

Jacques Fichant, an engineer by trade and an accomplished modeller, has had a long time attraction toward the model of the Artésien, a model righteously considered as one of the major pieces in the Paris Marine Museum collection. As a result, he approached Admiral Prud’hom, then the museum director, to work on a detailed record of the model’s hull and rigging with the intension to establish a set of plans and write a complete monograph on the subject. This initiative was favorably received and Mr Fichant was able to work on his project. He quickly observed that the model was suffering from some distortions and that research through documentation was necessary. By researching through the “Service Historique de la Marine” archives in Brest, he was able to find a record, written by Joseph Ollivier himself, containing the data related to the Artésien as well as several other vessels.

 Other documents obtained through the archives in Vincennes, Brest and Rochefort completed the file and allowed establishing the monograph we have the pleasure to present to you.  

We must add that the history of the Artésien and its model is very interesting. Indeed, as soon as he is appointed to the position of Navy minister in October 1761, the Duque of Choiseul begins rebuilding our navy after the humiliating set-back suffered during the Seven Year war. To finance part of the reconstruction, he thought of making a proposal addressed to the states of Languedoc to offer a ship to the King. The success of this initiative was such that this example was widely followed and as a result, not one, but fifteen ships of the line were offered to the King. The names attached to these vessels suggest the origin of the donations, and the funds contributed by the states of Artois allowed the construction of the Artésien in Brest.

Designer and builder, Joseph Ollivier, the son of renowned builder Blaise Ollivier, established the plans of the Artésien; plans later used to build other 64-gun ships. The construction of the Artésien began in 1762 and the ship was launched on March 7, 1765. The vessel would be refitted in 1777, subjected to small repairs in 1781 and ended its career as pontoon in 1785.

The Artésien had an honourable career, having participated in combats during the American War of Independence over the three operation theatres, in Europe, the Antilles and lastly, under the orders of the Bailli de Suffren in the victorious battle of the Praia, the defense of the Dutch colony of the Cape of Bonne-Espérance, and the India campaign from 1782 to 1784.

The model of the Artésien conserved at the Paris Marine Museum is part of the collection known as the Trianon Collection, the base of today’smuseum’s collection. According to Jean Boudriot, this model is one of the major pieces of the collection. It was built in Brest under the initiative of the Chevalier d’Oisy, the person in charge of inspecting the construction of the original ship. Once completed, the model was transported to Versailles along with Mr Sébastien Cupin who participated in the construction of the model and who would maintain and prepare it for courses to be taught by Nicolas Ozanne to future King Louis XVI and his brothers. The authenticity of the model and its fidelity to the original ship itself are indisputable.

COMPOSITION OF THE MONOGRAPH

180 pages booklet: 23 x 31, including:

- Joseph Ollivier : Joseph Ollivier, designer-builder

- The Artésien – 64-gun ship

- The career of the Artésien

- Information sources

- Drafting the plans

- The plates explained: unrigged ship

- Construction tables

- Table of scantlings

- Establishing the rigging

- Description of the rigging

- Comments on the plates relative to the rigging

- Masting dimensions

- Blocks dimensions

- Rigging nomenclature

- The model from the National Marine Museum: 69 close-up photographs and comments

- Appendix

- Builder’s tables

24-PAGE BOOKLET by JEAN BOUDRIOT

Reproduction of the pages dedicated to the model of the Artésien included in the book “Historic Ship's Models in the Musée de la Marine”

PLATES AND DRAWINGS

List of the 35 plates at 1:48 scale and the 5 plates at 1:72 (including all the frame patterns):

1. Schematic elevation
2. Vertical sections
3. Horizontal sections
4. Structural elements
5. Framing elevation view

6 to 9.Frame patterns

1. Building the bow
2. Building the stern
3. Transversal cut views
4. Layout and fitting out the hold
5. Orlop deck layout
6. First deck layout
7. Second deck layout
8. Upper decks plan
9. Poop-deck layout
10. Longitudinal cut view
11. Head
12. Stern and quarter-galleries
13. Fitting out the first deck
14. Fitting out the second deck
15. Fitting out the upper decks
16. Fitting out, main cut view
17. Accommodations
18. Overall view from above
19. Elevation view of the fitted hull
20. Views of the bow and stern

30 and 31. Fittings

2. Anchors and ship’s boats
3. Masts and yards
4. Mast fittings
5. Yard fittings (rigging) and blocks

Plates at 1:72 scale

6. Transversal sails
7. Longitudinal sails
8. Tackles end points
9. The Artésien under longitudinal sails
10. The Artésien under mainsails

ARTILLERY 1/2 Série :

13 24-pound guns

14 12-pound guns

5 6-pound guns