Likely American

Oil on Tin and Painted wood

Mid-19th century (sailors), Early 20^th century (life preservers)

38″ H x 28″ W Framed

These paintings depict the sailors who would have likely worked on the ships like the ones in life-preserver paintings. Each sailor is wearing a different sailor uniform. The two life preserves are slightly later than the oil-on-tin depictions of sailors.

Both the Hector and the Sarpedon were built for Alfred Holt and Company of Liverpool who owned the Blue Fennel Line. The Hector would travel that line to Australia and be built by Scott Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. Alfred Holt and Company of Liverpool was founded in 1866 and grew to be one of Britain’s largest ship-owning and operating companies. The two ships were a set of four sister ships that also included the Patroclus and Antenor. The ships all launched in 1923 and 1924 and were named after characters in the Iliad. The Sarpedon traveled from Liverpool to East Asia.  Eventually, Sarpedon was scrapped for parts. During World War II, Hector was converted into an armed merchant cruiser.