Posner Maritime Art Collection
SS Scawfell in a Gale, 1898
Artist unknown
Gouache
The SS Scawfell is shown in a gale, and was possibly done by an Italian port painter, as it resembles the typical Italian port paintings of the period. It is not signed, but is dated 1898. It is done in gouache, which is an opaque watercolor.
The Scawfell, an iron screw steamer of 2,192 gross tons, was built in 1882 by Palmers’ Company at Jarrow-On-Tyne, Newcastle, England. She was owned and operated by the Scawfell Steamship Company Limited, of Liverpool, which was in turn, owned by Gracie, Beazley and Company Ltd. Although not shown in the painting, Scawfell‘s Signal Code flags were WPQC, and her Official Number was 86252. These are essential in tracing the history of a vessel, as many different vessels had the same names, including Scawfell. In this case the date on the painting was used to identify the proper vessel in Lloyd’s Register, 1890-91.
Scawfell was wrecked off Tabarka, Tunis in April 1904, with a cargo of 2,900 tons of coal while en route from Cardiff, England, to China. At the time of the wreck she was owned by the Simpson Steamship Company of Cardiff. Six lives were lost.