Francis Swaine was an English marine painter.

He was born in 1725, and christened on 7 October of that year at St Dunstan’s, Stepney

Stepney (parish)

Stepney was an ancient civil and ecclesiastical parish in the historic county of Middlesex to the east and north east of the City of London, England.-Origins:...

, London. For many years, and in many reference books, it has been stated that as a young man he worked as an office messenger with the British Navy, but then left that employment to become an artist. However, in an item contained in The Catalogue of the National Archives, Navy Board: Out-letters ADM 354/151/167, it is stated that "Francis Swaine, Head Messenger to this Office, died yesterday. 1755, Oct 11." It is clear that Francis Swaine the marine painter has been confused with another Francis Swain(e), who was christened on 22 June 1719, at St Botolph-without-Aldgate, London; and who served as a Navy Messenger from boyhood until his death in 1755. This man's will is recorded as an online document, PROB 11/824, and dated 1756. There is no verifiable evidence that Francis Swaine, marine painter, ever worked as a messenger for the Navy Office.

Swaine is also said to have been influenced by the style of van de Velde

Willem van de Velde the Younger

Willem van de Velde the Younger was a Dutch marine painter.-Biography:Willem van de Velde was baptised on 18 December 1633 in Leiden, Holland, Dutch Republic....

. There is no clear evidence of this alleged influence. The suggestion that Swaine may have been a pupil of Charles Brooking

Charles Brooking

Charles Brooking was an English painter of marine scenes.-Life:It is highly probable that Brooking’s father was a Charles Brooking who was recorded as employed by Greenwich Hospital between 1729 and 1736 as a painter and decorator. Charles Brooking senior had earlier been active in Plymouth and...

 can be dismissed, as the difference in age between the two painters was a mere two years, and there is no visual evidence to support any such influence. On the other hand, Swaine was demonstrably influenced by the style of the painter Peter Monamy

Peter Monamy

Peter Monamy was an English marine painter who lived between 1681 and 1749.-Early life and family:Peter Monamy was baptised at the church of St Botolph’s-without-Aldgate, London, England, on 12 January 1681...

 (1681–1749), whose pupil he was. In the will of Sir Samuel Young (1766–1826), son of Admiral Sir George Young (1733–1821), Francis Swaine is explicitly referred to as “Old Swaine, pupil of Monami”. In Mark Noble's Biographical History of England, 1806, under the entry for Monamy, it is also stated that "Swaine, of Stretton Ground, Westminster, his disciple, and bred under him, was an excellent painter of moon-light pieces." This remark is well confirmed by his "Capture of the Foudroyant" (see illustration), which is also referred to in at least one source (David Erskine) as "The Moonlight Battle".

Swaine married Monamy's daughter Mary at Allhallows, London Wall, on 29 June 1749, when he was aged 24. Their children were christened Anna Maria Swaine, on 27th Jan 1750/51; and Monamy Swaine, christened on 27th Feb 1753, both at St Dunstan’s church in Stepney. Monamy Swaine also became a marine painter. Francis Swaine was a popular artist of his time and regularly displayed works at the Society of Artists

Society of Artists

The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established Paris salons....

 and the Free Society of Artists. He died in 1782. Today, several of his works are held in the National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...

in London.