This hand-coloured lithograph depicts the launch on 19th July 1843 of the famous steamship ‘Great Britain’, which was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and built at Bristol by the Great Western Steamship Company. Her innovative design successfully combined steam and sail power, making her swift and fuel efficient, which enabled her to cross the Atlantic in half the time of other ships of the day. The event attracted thousands of onlookers, who can be seen thronging the riverbanks, as sailors strain on her mooring ropes on either side. The ship is decked out with pennants in her rigging and attended by a flotilla of rowing boats carrying spectators, many of whom can be seen raising their hats in salute. The artist has paid tribute to the many women who attended the event, by picking out their faces, framed by bonnets and veils, in the densely packed foreground. The royal box is visible behind her starboard bow.