03 May 2008

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"219781","attributes":{"class":"media-image mt-image-none","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"480","height":"415","alt":"F8253.jpg"}}]] 'The wreck of the Halsewell, Indiaman, 1786' by Thomas Stothard (ZBA4537) The loss of the East Indiaman Halsewell under the cliffs at Seacombe, Dorset, is a horrific and well-known story. Outward-bound with troops for India, she was caught in a winter Channel storm, sprang a leak and became unmanageable, and was driven ashore in darkness at about 02.00 in the morning of 6 January 1786. Over a 100 people drowned, most when the ship broke up within two hours striking. About 130 men managed to reach a ledge in the cliff, but only around 70 managed to hold on and be hauled up by local people at daybreak. Those lost included Captain Richard Pierce who, rather than try and save himself, stayed in the ship's roundhouse (cabin) with his daughters Eliza and Mary Anne, his two nieces and the other lady passengers: they all died, as did Pierce's nephew, the ship's first officer. The two senior survivors were the second and third mates, Henry Meriton and John Rogers, who quickly published an account of the disaster, which was widely reported and also prompted many pictures and prints. Most showed the stormy wreck but a very unusual one, suggesting its terrors by implication, was of the scene in the listing cabin with Pierce comforting his daughters, and Meriton and Rogers on the left about to make their escape. This was engraved by Edmund Scott, based on a painting by Thomas Stothard RA (1755-1834) and, though undated, probably appeared shortly afterwards. In autumn 2007, Stothard's small oil painting of the subject unexpectedly resurfaced. Dropping en passant into Abbott & Holder's gallery in London I saw it in their office, as yet unidentified as to subject and artist. I did not know either but had a vague suspicion what the subject might be, easily confirmed once back at Greenwich. So I phoned Philip Athill of Abbott & Holder, told him that I knew and asked if he would suggest a price on that basis. He was happy not to have to chase it further himself and made us a good offer, which we were very glad to accept. It's all the more interesting because any sort of cabin scene is unusual and at only 305 x 355 mm - roughly the same as the print - it's a strong painting for its size. Stothard might have done a larger version, with this one either as a preliminary study or a small copy for easier engraving, both are fairly common. But there's no obvious record of another, so in this case it's probably the original. Coincidentally - or perhaps not - the Museum has another small upright oil by Stothard called 'A sailor's return in peace' showing a seaman coming home to his welcoming family. This is also rather sketchy and might be for a larger picture, though none is known. It too was the basis of a more polished print, in this case one of four, with 'Sailors in a storm', 'Sailors in a fight' and 'Sailors in port'. All these were published by John Raphael Smith in April 1798 though, rather curiously, the fight and storm ones were mezzotints and the other two were executed in less labour-intensive aquatint. Two paintings alone are not a reliable sample, but it may be that Stothard did not do more developed oil versions but painted the two mentioned here - and perhaps other subjects - simply as loosely handled modellos for prints, with the tightening up evident in the latter being by the engravers. In the case of the 'Sailor' series this was the very competent William Ward (1766-1826). View 'The wreck of the Halsewell, Indiaman, 1786' in Collections Online.