Deck Scene of the Great Eastern

1857

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Deck Scene of the Great Eastern is a 1857 by Robert Howlett, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Robert Howlett
When & what style?: 1857 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This photo shows the deck of the massive steamship Great Eastern under construction. Workers swarm the huge iron ribs like ants. The ship’s size dwarfs everything around it. Howlett took this in 1857, when ships like this were brand new. The Great Eastern was the biggest afloat—longer than a football field. It used both sail and steam, a bold experiment back then. If you like this, check out Robert Howlett (British, 1831–1858).

The story of this work

Overview

A leading professional photographer of the mid-1850s, Robert Howlett is best known for his extended group of photographs documenting the construction and launching of the Great Eastern steamship. Designed by one of the greatest engineers of his time, I.K. Brunel, the Great Eastern took over four years to construct and, because of its immense size, an unprecedented three months to launch. For over forty years, the Great Eastern was the largest steamship ever constructed and it became a symbol of Great Britain's national pride and industrial supremacy. In this image, Howlett has captured the…

Read the full account in the museum source.