Maritime Art Archive
A Grazing Horse
This is just one of seventy-three sketches by Gabriel Bray that were preserved in an album and purchased for the National Maritime Museum by the Society for Nautical Research’s MacPherson Fund in 1991. The image depicts a horse – probably a riding horse from the docked tail – grazing and is signed ‘May 74 AVprGB’ […] Read More
New York 1. Trial proof.
A print of New York by William Lionel Wyllie. We know that Wyllie visited New York on the maiden voyage of the White Star Line’s Majestic, which left Liverpool for New York on 2 April 1890. This was at a time of vigorous competition fo the ‘Blue Riband’ – The Majestic did not win it on her […] Read More
‘England Expects’ [Nelson’s ghost in front of the Queen’s House, Greenwich] (1927)
This framed drawing in the collections of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich shows a ghostly figure of Nelson standing in Greenwich Park, gesturing with his hat in his left hand towards the Queen’s House, now home to the National Maritime Museum’s art collection. On the bottom of the mount is the caption ‘England Expects […] Read More
The Electric (c.1860)
The clipper ship Electric is shown sailing on the port tack in a brisk breeze and on choppy seas. The small vessel in the foreground is a New York pilot boat, flying a distinctive ‘P’ flag. The flag flown by the Electric is particularly interesting, being an early form of the flag of the United […] Read More
The Goulden Leeuw Engaging the Royal Prince at the Battle of the Texel, 11 August 1673
This image shows an important moment in the Battle of the Texel, fought on 11 August 1673 between the Dutch on one side and the English and French as allies on the other. The Allies sought to lure the Dutch away from their coast, defeat them and subsequently launch an invasion. As was usual in […] Read More
The China War 1857: Junks Surrounded in Smoke (1857)
This is one of nine watercolours made during the second Opium War (1856-60) by Thomas Goldsworthy Dutton. The war was a major victory for the British over the Qing Dynasty and led to the legalisation of opium trade as well as a permanent diplomatic presence in China for Britain, France and Russia. The fighting was […] Read More
Mussel Fishing (II) (1622)
This oil painting was made in the Netherlands in 1622 by Julius Porcellis, the son of Jan Porcellis, who was widely considered to be one of the finest marine artists – of his time though Julius inherited a great deal of his father’s skill. It is one of two images of mussel fishing by Julius […] Read More
Dutch Ships sailing off a Rocky Shore (1610-1615)
This painting forms a part of a collection of 79 early Netherlandish marine paintings purchased in 1963 with the assistance of the Society from the widow of Captain Eric Palmer. Eric Palmer (1896–1961), a great character, was one of the Palmer shipbuilding family and was long connected with the Museum as its advisor on the […] Read More
Morning: A lugger close on a wind; and an Indiaman preparing to weigh.
An engraving by Robert Havell (1769-1832) of a painting by Joseph Cartwright (1789-1829). The lugger is shown on the port tack making ground to windward with all sail set and her reefs out. In the background is an East Indiaman, preparing to weigh. Cartwright had the maritime world in his blood. He was born in […] Read More
The Wreck of the ‘Amsterdam’ c.1630
This painting is part of the extraordinary collection of early Netherlandish marine paintings collected by Captain Eric Palmer and purchased in 1963 with the assistance of the Society from his widow. It was purchased by Palmer prior to 1950. The painting bursting with energy shows a large ship being beaten by waves at the foot of […] Read More