Ship portrait of the steamer 'Earl Percy' passing Dumbarton Rock (under its bows), on the River Clyde. The painting has been signed by the artist in the sea, lower left, but the signature is difficult to read. It is also dated '1849'. The ship, here shown with the sails of its barquentine auxiliary rig hoisted, was built for J. Ormston, Newcastle and Brownlow Pearson & Co, of Hull, by William Denny of Dumbarton in 1849. It was 163 feet long and of 402 gross registered tons. In 1861 the owners were the Tyne Steam Shipping Co, Newcastle, and on 3 February 1865 it was driven ashore and wrecked at Tynemouth, Northumberland at the end of a voyage from Hamburg to Newcastle. All on board were rescued by the RNLI South Shields lifeboats and another boat from Tynemouth. The painting has been signed by the artist in the sea, lower left, but the signature is difficult to read. It is also dated '1849' and appears to have been commissioned by Denny's to mark completion of the ship, since it was presented to the Museum, with others by Clark of Greenock, in 1964.