The Wreck of the Anglo Saxon, April 1863 by Anton Melbye (1818-1875) and John William Bottomley (1816-1900). 1863. Oil on canvas. 60 x 90cm. Photos credit: © Dorotheum Vienna. Images kindly provided in high resolution by the auction house, and not to be reproduced without seeking their permission. The painting is signed by both artists. Melbye was known for his marine paintings, and Bottomley was often in demand for scenes featuring animals. Here, the terrified horses, swimming for their lives from the burning vessel, are a major part of the composition and carry much of the drama and sense of crisis.
Fire blazes fiercely and thick black smoke pours from the SS Anglo-Saxon. Dimitra Reimüller explains: "During the crossing from Liverpool to Quebec and Montreal, the passenger ship of the Canadian-British shipping company Allan Line, which in addition to cargo and mail had 85 crew members and 360 passengers on board, ran into a heavy fog bank. A few nautical miles north of the Newfoundland Cape Race, the ship collided with a rock and ran aground. Enormous waves pushed the Anglo-Saxon further and further onto the rocks, tearing off parts of the stern and putting the damaged ship in a precarious position. An evacuation was impossible and 238 people lost their lives in the accident" ("Anton Melbye").
The horses swim though the rough seas and scramble on land. One horse's head, between ship and shore, is barely above the water. Another looks over the back of the second horse to reach land. The sense of panic is palpable, and brilliantly imagined by Bottomley. — Jacqueline Banerjee
Links to Related Material
Bibliography
"Anton Melbye". Dorotheum. Web. 27 April 2023.
Created 25 Aril 2023