Samuel Walters 1811-1882

This dramatic scene is a variation on the ‘homeward bound theme’. Here, Dover Castle is visible on the skyline beneath the barque’s bowsprit.  At sea level there is an emerging paddle steamer, behind which buildings are visible ashore. The harbour entrance is concealed behind Mignonette’s bow, with Shakespeare cliff lying approximately behind her mainmast. Highlighted against the dark clouds framing the left margin, the distant headland conceals Folkestone.

Walters makes good use of shafts of sunlight from an isolated brightly illuminated patch of sky in the otherwise puce coloured storm clouds. Having romped up Channel before a favourable wind and following seas, it is now time to reduce sail in anticipation of receiving a pilot on board before negotiating the hazards of the waters inshore of the Goodwin Sands. Two hands are visible climbing the weather main shrouds to stow the royal sail, and as in the case of Merle the tack of the spanker is ‘triced up’ providing a better all round view from the quarter deck.

Built at Bristol in 1854, Mignonette (232 registered tons, dimensions 110.6 x 21.5 x 12.2 feet) was wrecked in 1864. In the following year Scruttons ordered a larger replacement bearing the same name. Built at Jersey, this was a barque of 283 registered tons and 136 feet in length.