SS KEIRA
Artist
Reginald Arthur Henry Borstel
(Australian, 1875 - 1922)
Date1908
Object number00000642
NamePainting
MediumOil on artist's board, framed
DimensionsOverall: 620 x 766 mm
Display Dimensions: 620 x 764 x 30 mm
Display Dimensions: 620 x 764 x 30 mm
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionTugboat KEIRA in Sydney Harbour with north and south head in the background, painted by Reginald Borstel in 1908.HistoryReginald Arthur Henry Borstel was born in Sydney, Australia, the son of a master mariner. He originally served as a seaman before becoming one of a group of artists employed by the Adelaide Photo Company of Sydney. He worked from photographs to create oil paintings depicting ships in often stormy seas.
Borstel was most active from 1890 to 1917. He was often commissioned by ship captains and owners to record the last days of the great sailing ships. He worked from his studio in Sydney producing ship portraits which appeared on postcards, advertisements and posters. He later moved to Newcastle where he specialised in portraits of sailing vessels.
