Images of Industry

Unknown steamer painted on leaf

artist unknown

Date: unknown

Media: mixed media

Size: 125 x 190 mm

Acquired: 1982; Gift

Accession Number: 82.119I/6

This unusual portrait of a ship executed on a leaf is unique in the museum’s collection. It was discovered in the leaves of a family Bible in 1982. The steamer portrayed bears the house colours of Morel Ltd. ofCardiff. The painting was probably done by the late Captain Samuel Jenkins of Aberporth, who served on board Morel’s SS Cardiff for fifteen months when he first went to see in 1909. His three voyages on the vessel involved visits to Asia and both continents ofAmerica, so the leaf could have come from any of these places.

Comments (2)

Comments are currently unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience.
John Joell
29 September 2016, 19:37
I have 3 leaves in a frame with Lioness off the coast of South Africa. Dated 1885. A card under each leaf has inscription gives date and description of the ship. Painting before, during and after storm.
John Ellis (tyke.taff@btinternet.com)
20 April 2012, 16:02
My uncle Jack Ellis was a O.S. and sialed with my grandfather John Hayden Ellis who was a bosun on the s.s. Earlspark. He sent a similar leaf with a portrait of the 'Earlspark, arriving at Cape Town, South Africa 1936'. It's attached to a postcard of Adderley Street, Cape Town and has a second leaf that says "A Souvenir to Dear Mother".
I understood that it was painted as a souvenir by a local artist, and the leaf was of a local tree.

John
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