Lord Combermere and Suite

1830

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Lord Combermere and Suite is a 1830 by Robert Captain Smith, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Robert Captain Smith
When & what style?: 1830 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a busy harbor filled with ships of different sizes. Some boats are anchored, while others have crews working on them. On the shore, a few people stand near a tree with long, thin leaves. The sky above is partly cloudy, and the water looks calm. The drawing’s loose, sketchy lines give it a quick, almost hurried feel—like a snapshot of a moment. The ships vary in style, from small rowboats to big sailing vessels, suggesting a mix of daily life and trade. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists build texture with just lines.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing depicts a shoreline scene with ships, created by Captain Robert Smith during his travels in Hindustan between 1828 and 1833. Part of a larger illustrated journal, it records voyages along the Ganges from Calcutta to Cawnpore and visits to cities such as Delhi, Agra, and Lucknow. The work remained unpublished until Smith retired to Ireland in 1833, with further revisions continuing until 1845. Acquired by the museum in 1915, it was donated by W. M. Biden of Hampton-on-Thames.

Read the full account in the museum source.