1944
Oil on canvas
74 x 100 cm
Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton, Hampshire
Birds Eye View All Works in RA Summer Exhibitions 1937 to 1993 All Works in Public Collections Rainbows Seascapes | Coastal Scenes Weather | Storm | Wind | Rain | Snow | Mist | Fog Ships | Boats | Harbours | Ports Works | 1940 to 1949 All Works in NEAC Exhibitions 1927 to 1992 Richard Eurich (1903-1992) Visionary Artist The Art of Richard Eurich
Recto: Undated but signed lower right: R. Eurich. and inscribed lower left: "Farewell, Herzogin Cecilie"; The date 1944 is confirmed by an mention in an RE diary.
Aka: Wreck of the Herzogin Cecilie [RA, Redfern, and Russell-Cotes]; Farewell, Herzogin Cecilie [inscription recto] ; The Wreck of the 'Herzogin Cecilie' [Bradford 1951 and 1979, Southampton, and BBC Your Paintings]; Wreck of the Herzogin Cecille [RA catalogue]; Wreck of the Herpgin Cecilie [spelling error NEAC]; The Wreck of the Hertzogin Cecilie [RE sales diary]
Verso: Southampton Art Gallery label
Other measurements: 74 x 100 cm [artist’s estate]; 76.5 x 101.7 cm [Southampton]
Devon Salcombe The South West Southampton City Art Gallery aground beached birds boats breeches breeches buoy buoy cliff collection figures grain grain ship gulls mast masted masted ship overcast public public collection rain rainbow rainy sailing sailing ship ship ships shipwreck tall tall ship umbrellas waves wind windjammer windy wreck wreckedLate April 1936 in the middle of the night and in thick fog, the beautiful windjammer Herzogin Cecilie ran aground on the West Devon coast. She had just completed her journey from Australia to Falmouth in 86 days with 4,500 tons of grain on board. This was more than just another ship… she was an object of romantic reverence. The bosun declared that he would willingly have given his life for her, and the whole nation mourned.Dad’s painting pays tribute to the slender beauty and power of this vessel. He said he painted the rainy day as an expression of …
Late April 1936 in the middle of the night and in thick fog, the beautiful windjammer Herzogin Cecilie ran aground on the West Devon coast. She had just completed her journey from Australia to Falmouth in 86 days with 4,500 tons of grain on board. This was more than just another ship… she was an object of romantic reverence. The bosun declared that he would willingly have given his life for her, and the whole nation mourned.Dad’s painting pays tribute to the slender beauty and power of this vessel. He said he painted the rainy day as an expression of his tears flowing.
1st March 1944: "To London with ‘Bombardment of Salerno’, ‘Fortresses over Southampton’, to Admiralty. ‘Night Raid on Portsmouth’ to the RA. Tried to find frame for ‘Cecilie’."
30th March 1944: "Worked all day to finish the painting of the wreck of the Herzogin Cecilie (30x40). Want to send it to the RA."
There has been some discussion with Southampton City Art Gallery, the owner of this work, if Richard wanted the painting to be known by his inscription lower left "Farewell, Herzogin Cecilie". It was briefly changed to that but when it was discovered Richard listed the painting as "The Wreck of the Herzogin Cecilie" in his sales diary it has been changed back.
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