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River Canoes

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Date

[July - August 1848]

Artist

Robert Elwes (1819-1878)

Collection

Private Collection

Description

"Some canoes in addition to their triangular sail laced to the mast had a studding sail of exactly the same size and shape on the other side. Thus two sails together, when they bellied out with the wind, formed a square, having a very odd appearance".
This is a page from a unique leather-bound volume of Robert Elwes’ travelogue 'A Sketcher's Tour Round the World', first published 1854, (see page 63 for corresponding passage).
The book contains the printed text of the manuscript but remarkably, the monochrome wash illustrations are hand painted by Elwes. The book bears a handwritten inscription ‘Mary F Elwes from her affect. husband Robert Elwes Jan 25 1878’, dated after Robert Elwes became ill at Congham, his Norfolk home. On 28th January 1878 , their youngest daughter Violet noted in her diary: “Papa much worse”. Less than three months later, Robert Elwes died on 17th April aged 58.

Image Licence

Image Credit

Courtesy of a private collector

Location

Propriá, Sergipe, Brazil

Country

Brazil