A portrait of the East Indiaman ‘Atlas’, shown off South Foreland, near Dover, in broadside view. She sailed on her first voyage to India in 1813 and made at least nine more thereafter until 1830. As the picture is dated 1826, it was probably made at the end of her seventh voyage to Madras and China.

The ‘Atlas’ was built in 1812 at Paul's Yard near Hull, her managing owner being James Staniforth. She was mounted with 26-guns and had a complement of 130 men at full strength. During her East India Company service she sailed to Madras, Bengal and China under the command of Captain Charles Otway Mayne, who was able to accumulate a fortune as a result of these voyages. This was not always without problems, since in 1817, the surgeon and second mate of the ‘Atlas’ complained to the council at Canton that Mayne had taken all the extra 30 tons of private cargo normally allowed by the Company to ships officers. Their claim was upheld. After six voyages Mayne became the ship's husbandman and placed the command of the vessel under Captain John Hine, after which the ‘Atlas’ undertook a further three regular sailings. She arrived at Gravesend at the end of her last voyage in August 1830 and was sold in May 1831 to C. Carter for breaking.

The National Maritime Museum holds another painting of the ‘Atlas’ by Huggins, see BHC3214. The painting is signed and dated 1822.