Untitled [Thames-side shipyard]

In the late 18th and early 19th century a school of marine painting developed around the desire of ship owners, captains and sailors to capture the glory of the sea and their pride in their ships. Called pierhead or ship portrait painters these artists, although sometimes quite naive in technique, were known for their accurate and historical rendering of the ships they portrayed. This oil painting depicts a Thames-side shipyard with three vessels on the stocks, one nearly ready to launch.