GLADSTONE under sail

Artist George Frederick Gregory [Jnr] (1857 - 1913)

Datec 1883

Object number00018965

NamePainting

MediumWatercolour on paper

DimensionsOverall: 540 x 660 x 23 mm, 2.9 kg
Sight: 330 x 495 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis watercolour painting by George Frederick Gregory junior depicts the clipper GLADSTONE under sail in rough seas. The ship is pictured flying the flag of Dangar, Gedys & Co, the company who operated GLADSTONE as a cargo clipper. George Frederick Gregory junior (1857-1913) was the son of well known ship protraitist George Frederick Gregory (1815-1887). The Gregory family was significant in Australian maritime art for many years. Another of Gregory senior's sons, Arthur Victor Gregory (1867-1957) was also a prolific ship portraitst. HistoryThe GLADSTONE was built by McMillan of Dumberton and launched in 1874, originally named the FRANCISCO CALDERON, named after the one-time president of Peru. It operated as a slave ship, taking Chinese slaves to Peru and Chile for the first year of its life. After this trade was declared illegal, the ship was sold to Australian merchants Dangar, Gedys & Co in May 1875 and renamed GLADSTONE after the British Prime Minister, William Gladstone (1809 - 1898). The new owners converted the vessel from auxiliary steam to full sail and sold the engines to A.S.N. Co who used them in the steamship EGMONT. GLADSTONE was operated by Dangar, Gedys & Co as a cargo clipper in the Australian and Asian services, and its first voyage was to Shanghai with 1,410 tons of Wollongong coal.SignificanceThis painting is a good example of George Frederick Gregory junior's early work and displays the history of Australian maritime trade with Asia in the late nineteenth century.