The troopship 'Serapis'

This painting depicts a starboard stern quarter view of HMS ‘Serapis’ in a choppy sea with another vessel in the distance on the left. Signed by the artist, lower right.

According to an account of the Naval Exhibition of 1891 in the Norwich Argus of 16 May 1891, the Prince of Wales [later King Edward VII] contributed “(696) a portrait of H.M.S. Serapis with himself on board, homeward bound from India in the Bay of Biscay, May, 1876, by Peter Hoyer”. The Prince of Wales had been on a voyage to India from October 1875 to May 1876.

The brothers Peter Julius Hoyer (19 November 1852–29 January 1877) and Edward [reg. “Eduard”] Philip Hoyer (16 June 1848–14 May 1881) were marine artists who were born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and worked in East London.

Peter, “marine painter“, died of “phthisis exhaustion” (tuberculosis) on 29 January 1877 at 216 Burnett Road in Mile End. His death was confirmed by his brother, “E. P. Hoyer” of 28 Cordova Road, Bethnal Green.

BHC1177 is an example of Edward Hoyer’s work.