French school circa 1870, entourage of Théodore GUDIN The Battle of Lissa, 20 July 1866 Original canvas and stretcher 40 x 59.5 cm (old restorations) On 20 July 1866, the Battle of Lissa took place, the first confrontation in history between two fleets of battleships. Italians and Austrians clashed in the Adriatic, off the Austrian island of Lissa. In the foreground, a sunken wreck recalls the sinking of two Italian battleships by the Austrians.