Maritime Art Archive
The Port of Genoa (c.1660)
This painting shows an impression of the port of Genoa in the mid-seventeenth century. On the left is a Dutch man of war with more shipping in the background. One ship has just fired a salute to port. Further to the right smoke rises from the hull of a ship, possibly evidence of ‘breaming’ – […] Read More
Captain Edward Riou, 1762 – 1801 (c.1800)
This miniature portrait is framed in gilt metal with a central suspension ring. The subject, Captain Edward Riou, is shown with greying hair and brown eyes and wears the captain’s full-dress uniform of 1795-1812 with a neckcloth and white waistcoat. The artist, Samuel Shelley was self-taught but became a prolific and well-known portraitist and miniaturist […] Read More
Three Soldiers in Uniform (late 1770s)
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 artist, Gabriel Bray, served as a second lieutenant on the 38-gun HMS Pallas between December 1774 and September 1775. This image of a […] Read More
Mussel Fishing (c.1650)
This oil painting was made in the Netherlands around 1650 by Julius Porcellis, the son of Jan Porcellis, who was widely considered to be the finest marine artists of his time. Nonetheless, Julius inherited much of his father’s skill and, because he signed his paintings in a similar way to his father with the initials […] Read More
The Operating Theatre (1943-44)
Rosemary Rutherford (1912–72) trained at the Slade School of Art and exhibited at the New English Art Club prior to the Second World War. When war broke out, aged, 27, she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment of the Red Cross. She performed a variety of jobs which included working as a nurse in the Royal […] Read More
The Pool with barge and small boat, inscribed trial proof. Early 20th Century
This etching is part of a large collection of 123 Wyllie prints, mainly etchings, bought from the daughter of William Lionel Wyllie in 1985, the funds provided fully by the Society for Nautical Research. Wyllie was a Londoner and spent many years recording London maritime life. In all the museum holds over 7400 items by […] Read More
Working Boats from Around the British Coast
This unusual mural was created for the 1951 Festival of Britain, the brain child of the labour MP Herbert Morrison who wanted to create a nation-wide sense of well-being to counter the devastation of war, and to serve as proof of a nation recovered. There was a main exhibition in London together with thousands of […] Read More
Davy Jones’ Locker
The Society has helped to buy a large collection of Wyllie art for the National Maritime Museum. This painting was bought in 2011 from a private collection. The painting is one of four by Wyllie that was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890. It is an unusual composition by Wyllie because of its depiction […] Read More
Sailors in a Shelter, RNAH Cholmondeley Castle (1940-1944)
Rosemary Rutherford (1912–72) trained at the Slade School of Art and exhibited at the New English Art Club prior to the Second World War. When war broke out, aged, 27, she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment of the Red Cross. She performed a variety of jobs which included working as a nurse in the Royal […] Read More
Vanitas Still Life (1694)
A still life by the Dutch Golden-Age painter Edwaert Collier who specialised in such scenes known as ‘Vanitas’. These were symbolic works which emphasised themes such as the transience of life, the futility of pleasure and the trappings of wealth with other hidden political and social commentary. This particular image, widely considered to be one […] Read More