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CHINESE ARTIST (CIRCA 1882) The clipper ship Kilmodan on fire image 1
CHINESE ARTIST (CIRCA 1882) The clipper ship Kilmodan on fire image 2
FINE CHINA TRADE PAINTINGS FROM MARTYN GREGORY, LONDON, PART II
Lot 172

CHINESE ARTIST (CIRCA 1882)
The clipper ship Kilmodan on fire

15 May 2025, 11:30 BST
London, New Bond Street

£5,000 - £8,000

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CHINESE ARTIST (CIRCA 1882)

The clipper ship Kilmodan on fire
Oil on canvas, framed.
90.2cm (35 1/2in) high x 134.7cm (53in) wide.

Footnotes

中國藝術家(約1882年)帆船Kilmodan號失火 布面油畫 有框

Provenance: Martyn Gregory, London

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Martyn Gregory, Paintings of the China Coast, catalogue 59, London, 1992, no.103
Martyn Gregory, China Observed, catalogue 94, London, 2015/2016, p.94, no.93

來源:倫敦古董商Martyn Gregory

展覽著錄:Martyn Gregory,《Paintings of the China Coast, catalogue 59》,倫敦,1992年,編號103
Martyn Gregory,《China Observed, catalogue 94》,倫敦,2015/2016,第94頁,編號93

The Kilmodan, of 1552 tons, was built at Port Glasgow in 1881 by Russell & Co, for Kerr, Newton of Glasgow. She was destroyed by fire on her maiden voyage, on 31 August 1881, while carrying coal from Glasgow to San Francisco; the fire was attributed to the spontaneous combustion of the cargo. She had a crew of 31, all of whom were rescued, together with a stowaway.

The Kilmodan is seen close-hauled on the port tack in heavy seas at night, with flames rising form the lower decks. A lifeboat is being rowed away towards another clipper painted on a smaller scale. A second rowing boat is approaching the stern of the ship, possibly to take off the stowaway, who stands by the mizzen mast. The red ensign at the stern is hung upside down, in the traditional signal of distress, and at the mizzen truck she is flying the international signal flags 'NM' indicating 'I am on fire'.

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