A portrait of the clipper packet ‘Barossa’ in 1874. Her first voyage for Devitt and Moore’s Australian Line of Clipper Packets was from Gravesend to Adelaide, Australia in October 1873. So this portrait records her soon after she started the Australia run. These ships were advertised as ‘high classed’ and ‘favourite passenger ships’.

Devitt and Moore’s ships were amongst the pioneers in the passenger and wool trade of Adelaide in South Australia. There were also races from Australia to Britain as the ships aimed to get to the U.K. in time for the first wool sales in London. It was a point of pride for the fastest ship to be loaded last.

The artist Frederik Tudgay lived and worked in London and produced ship portraits of British and international sailing vessels. He aimed at accuracy in his detailing of ships details and his realistic handling of the sea. He frequently used a distinctive light green-blue palette.

The painting is signed and dated ‘F. Tudgay 1874’.