Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Victorian Oil Painting Steamer SS Miranda Artic Polar Expedition Led By Young Dr Frederick Albert Cook In 1894

€11.038,95

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Join the compelling journey of the Victorian Oil Painting Steamer SS Miranda through the Arctic Polar Expedition under the guidance of Dr. Frederick Albert Cook in 1894. This masterpiece, painted by a follower of Antonio Jacobsen, captures the beauty and adventure of this historic voyage. Set sail with this rare and unique piece of art
Subject marine seascape view of the known historical sailing steam ship SS Miranda on her final voyage embarking on her polar artic expedition which she would never arrive, leading the expedition was Dr Frederick Albert Cook when he was only 29 this was his on his first attempt to reach the North Pole which he would fail. The ship is in side profile facing towards the right, having 2 masts & steaming along in rough choppy high seas, some passengers & crew figures are out on the main deck. With black smoke coming out of her single funnel, life boats are placed just next to the funnel on either side. The Union Jack flag is flying proudly in the windy conditions on the stern, the wind is intense and some of the sails have been put away. The name of the ship is shown on the bow & also on the near top red flag in reverse. on both flanks are views of other sailing ships, below you are drawn to the seagulls flying low & ship wreckage of a mast half sunken in the water with seagulls flying nearby low, above further seagulls flying high with a mix of grey storm clouds with areas of lighter blue sky shining through.
Set in the original decorative gilt frame.
Follower in the style of Antonio Jacobsen.
Initial signed on the upper red flag closest the bow reading in reverse CR.
Oil on canvas set in a fine traditional gilt frame.
Hanging thread on the back ready for immediate wall display.
Origin from the USA.
Circa late 19th century Victorian era.
Good proportion sized frame being 99 cm wide and 79 cm high.
Title “S.S. Miranda, Steamer Of Arctic Expedition Chartered By The Controversial Polar American Explorer Dr Frederick Albert Cook in 1894 The Last Voyage”
In our opinion this is a significant maritime work.
Ship biography The SS Miranda was a passenger cargo steamer ship, launched on the 24th May in 1884. She was finished on the 22nd July in 1884. She was built by Messrs J Wigham Richardson & Co. in 1884 for C.T. Bowring. She had accommodation for 60 x 1st Class passengers.
Miranda was chartered by the known controversial American explorer 'Dr' Frederick Albert Cook (1865-1940) for a Polar 'Expedition'. The SS Miranda slipped her moorings in New York on 7th July 1894 with a mixed party comprising sportsmen, adventurers and academics. After a short stay in Nova Scotia some of the passengers began to become edgy about the ship for being seaworthy, some of the crew told the passengers that iron ships were no reliable in extreme icy waters as the ship’s seams would leak if the ship struck ice.
In what seemed to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, the SS Miranda hit an iceberg on 17th July off the coast of Newfoundland, in Canada, the damage caused parts of the iron bow plates to buckle and leak. Now requiring emergency repairs, the closest settlement was a fishing village of Cape St. Charles which is only a small headland on the coast of Labrador in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. At longitude 55°37'15" W, it is the easternmost point of continental North America. As it was to small on 29th July the SS Miranda set off again, now having less passengers on board.
Though while enroute on the 5th August she hit a reef and immediately had water ingress quite badly to start with, though the pumps seemed to being doing their job & keeping the water levels down. The SS Miranda fortune soon run out as another ship called the Rigel, towed the SS Miranda for the return trip to St John's, Newfoundland. Final disaster struck on 9th August 1894, her ballast tank gave way & just two hours later approximate, and after the remaining passengers had been transferred to the Rigel, the tow ropes were cut and she was abandoned to founder, last being seen at 61° latitude, between Greenland and Labrador.
Before disaster struck the SS Miranda on the Davis Straits, the twenty-nine-year-old Cook navigated an open boat across 90 miles of polar sea to obtain rescue.
Provenance from an antique dealers collection in the region of historic county in middle England William Shakespeare birthplace. In collection of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
Condition report.
Offered in fine used condition.
Painting surface is in acceptable condition, having various foxing staining and craquelure. Some paint loss in places, yellowing of the varnish, frame stretcher lines showing through. Canvas is original unlined. The frame which has various general wear, paint losses, scuffs & chips, cracking commensurate with usage & old age.
International buyers worldwide shipping is available.

Dimensions in centimetres of the frame

High (69 cm)
Wide (99 cm)
Depth (3.5 cm)