without frame: 25 1/2 in x 39 in; 64.77 cm x 99.06 cm
with frame: 32 1/2 in x 44 in; 82.55 cm x 111.76 cm
Object Name:
painting
painting, oil
Date made:
ca 1853
Description:
<I>Black Warrior</I> was built at Damariscotta, Maine by Austin & Co. in 1853, and was owned by William Wilson and Co. of Baltimore, Maryland. The ship measured 234 feet and 1828 tons.
In 1854 there was a dispute between the U.S and Spain, and <I>Black</I> Warrior was seized by the Spanish in Havana for a customs violation. The case was later resolved and the ship was returned to its owners. The incident produced hope for a small minority who hoped that Cuba might be annexed. In 1862, <I>Black Warrior</I> was sold to James Baines and Co. and renamed the City of Melbourne. In February 1868, the ship suffered a fire while at Williamstown Pier, Port Philip, Australia. It was registered in 1870 to W.T. Heron of Liverpool, and in 1877 was used as a storage hulk at Melbourne.
This painting depicts a dual view of the right profile and rear of the ship. An elevated view shows some of the deck, and a rounded stern, with a second stern view having tacked to enter the harbor. The harbor portrayed in the painting is believed not to be Hong Kong harbor but rather a harbor in Yorkshire. Art Historian A.S. Davidson remarked that while the artist was unknown s/he was probably British, due to the style of the painting.