Images

Turtles On The Deck

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Date

1849

Artist

Robert Elwes (1819-1878)

Collection

Private Collection

Acknowledgements

Digitised by TWW

Description

Here, Elwes depicts himself on-board ship dressed in his distinctive black-and-white checked trousers, seated on a chicken coop (ship’s provisions). Cattle are eating hay on the deck and a tropical Scarlet Macaw sits near Elwes’ shoulder. The mainsail is lashed to the mast between two early air conditioning funnels. It is a calm day. This picture can be dated to 1849. Elwes sailed from Callao to Hawaii, a months voyage, seeing neither land nor sail for the duration. He was on board HMS Amphitrite 21st April and arrived in Honolulu 21st May 1849.