Brangwyn first visited Cornwall in 1887. In 1888 he left on a cargo ship which sailed through the Mediterranean, stopping off at Antwerp and Constantinople. The present painting is dated '89' and so it is difficult to determine the precise location of Brangwyn's subject. A similar picture, Shipping off Fowey, was painted a year later (see Christie's, London, 8 June 2006, lot 298).

We are grateful to Rodney Brangwyn for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.