"The Death of Nelson, painted by Benjamin West in 1806, shows the stricken sailor being supported by Captain Thomas Hardy and ship surgeon Dr William Beatty, while other figures bend over him. 'Hidden queer history of life at sea' "Nelson's last words to him are said to have been: 'Kiss me, Hardy', [and] historians have speculated about the exact nature of the relationship between Hardy and Nelson," a spokesperson for the gallery said. "Regardless of the truth, for many, Nelson's famous request is symbolic of the sometimes-hidden queer history of life at sea.""
"The momentous moment is also depicted in a work by Daniel Maclise. Painted between 1859 and 1864, it has the same title as West's picture, and includes two Black sailors, which the spokesperson said was "a matter of historical accuracy". The gallery's description of Nelson as queer has earned the painting a place in its LGBTQ+ collection, under the love and relationships category. "Our collections explore the universal range of love and relationships experienced by LGBTQ+ people, from first loves and romance to adoptions and the creation of new families," the gallery has said."
The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool describes Lord Horatio Nelson as queer and displays two paintings that depict his final moments aboard HMS Victory. Benjamin West's 1806 The Death of Nelson shows Nelson supported by Captain Thomas Hardy and ship surgeon Dr William Beatty. Nelson's reported last words to Hardy, 'Kiss me, Hardy', are presented as symbolic of sometimes-hidden queer history at sea. Nelson was involved with Emma Hamilton while married to Frances Nisbet at his death. Daniel Maclise's later painting includes two Black sailors noted as historically accurate and is placed in the gallery's LGBTQ+ love and relationships collection. Napoleon's sexuality has also been reexamined as possibly bisexual.
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