Shipboard life

This section examines a number of issues pertinent to the early nineteenth century, including communications, class structure, discipline, living conditions, and the monotony and ritual of life at sea. Earle himself travelled on numerous vessels--both naval and commercial--during the course of his eleven-year absence from England.

He also produced at least six watercolours depicting aspects of shipboard life, several of which were later worked up into oil paintings and exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. They include Divine service on board a British frigate (cat. 1), Midshipmens quarters on board a ship of war (cat. 2) and Scudding before a heavy gale off the Cape, lat. 44º (cat. 4).

Prior to this time, few artists considered such routine occurrences were worthy of their attention and it was not until the second half of the nineteenth century that genre-type scenes on board ships--particularly prints--gained popularity.

Divine service on board a British frigate (1820)
17. I x 30.5 NK12/130 T167

Midshipmens quarters on board a ship of war (1820-21)
17.5 x 33.3 NK12/132 T169

Scudding before a heavy gale off the Cape, lat. 44º (1824)
20.6 x 27.3 NK12/128 T165
Speaking a vessel off the Cape of Good Hope (1824)
21 x 27.3 NK12/129 T166
View of the city of Lima, the plains of Remac [Rimac] & the Andes (1820)
15.2 x 53 NK12/114 T151
From the summit of the Cacavada [Corcovado] Mountains, nr. Rio (1821-24)
20.3 x 33.7 NK12/93 T131
View near Rio deJaneiro (1821-24)
17.8 x 26 NK12/96 T134
Negro fandango scene, Campo St. Anna nr. Rio (1821-24)
21 x 34 NK12/98 T136
Games at Rio deJaneiro, during the Carnival (1821-24)
21.6 x 34 NK12/99 T137
Punishing negroes at Cathabouco [Calobouco], Rio de Janiero (1821-24)
23.5 x 26 NK12/100 T138
A sleeping negro, Brazils—No. 1 (1821-24)
19.4 x 17.8 NK12/lOS T143
Female soldier of South America, a portrait (1821-24)
17.1 x 14.3 NK 12/162 T198

Introduction | Brief chronology | Shipboard life
Tristan da Cunha | New Zealand | Homeward bound
Exhibition