Seascape from the 'Birkdale'

A seascape of a sunset, from the deck of the 'Birkdale'. The artist has used colour and form to convey the dramatic effects of the sun's glow on the sea and the sky. The sea is shown dark blue with streaks of yellow, orange, green, cream and mauve. By contrast the sky is alight with yellow, orange and pink with small blobs of various shades of blue to indicate cumulus cloud. The yellow dashes in the sea represent the sun's reflections. Everett joined the barque, 'Birkdale', and sailed from Bristol to Sabine Pass, Texas, April to June 1920. It was his first journey after World War I. The 'Birkdale' was due to take sulphur from Texas to the Cape, but when she arrived in Texas the ship was re-chartered to Australia and so Everett reluctantly left her and came home by steamer. The 'Birkdale', built in 1892, was the last barque to fly the red ensign and spent nearly all her working life in the Chilean nitrate trade. For a short time after World War I she switched to taking sulphur from Texas to the Cape. The 'Birkdale' went back to the nitrate trade and was wrecked on the Chilean coast after catching fire in 1927. The painting is inscribed 'Birk' verso.

Object Details

ID: BHC0095
Collection: Fine art
Type: Painting
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Everett, (Herbert Barnard) John
Vessels: Birkdale (1892)
Date made: 1920
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Bequeathed by the artist 1949.
Measurements: Painting: 255 x 355 mm
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