Fort de France, Martinique, from the 'Suzanne'

A sketch showing the profile of the coastline of Fort de France, Martinique. A small boat is visible on the right on a calm sea, with the range of coastal hills in the middle distance. The orange glow over the hills casts a sultry light and probably indicates sunset. The artist has reduced the image to blocks of colour and shapes and in his concentration on the shape formed by the distant mountains he has avoided the inclusion of buildings. Everett visited Martinique in January 1929 during his first voyage on the 'Suzanne'. The ship lay at anchor off the town for ten days which gave him the opportunity to sketch such views. Since it was the first time he had visited the tropics, he described it as 'like another planet, and the people most interesting'.

Everett made his final two journeys in a deep-water ship on board the 'Suzanne' between 1928-29 and 1930. Following World War I, in which a large number of ships were lost, it became extremely difficult to find a berth. This Danish barque was built in 1880. British owned, she was originally known as the 'Kylemore', became Norwegian in 1907 and Danish in 1915. In 1925 a change in ownership brought a change in name to the 'Suzanne', the name of the ship when Everett sailed on her. It was effectively a training ship since the Danish crew was sailing in her to earn their tickets and received no wages. Everett returned from the second voyage with 83 oils and 300 drawings.

Between November 1928 and January 1929 Everett sailed in the 'Suzanne' from Calais to Pointe a Pitre, Guadaloupe. While at Le Havre, Everett heard that the Danish barque was in Calais loading for Martinique and he decided to join her because he wanted another journey under sail. He praised the seamanship on board and said everything was done under sail. Once in Jamaica it took six weeks to unload, and he continued his journey on board SS 'Changuinola', owned by Elder and Fife. On his second journey in the 'Suzanne' in 1930, he sailed from Le Havre to Black River, Jamaica, in November, arriving at Black River on 16 December. This was the last voyage Everett ever made in sailing ships. The painting is inscribed 'Martinique', 'Suz' verso. See also BHC0039.

Object Details

ID: BHC0022
Collection: Fine art
Type: Painting
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Everett, (Herbert Barnard) John
Vessels: Suzanne (1880)
Date made: 1929
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Bequeathed by the artist 1949.
Measurements: Painting: 253 x 356 mm
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