Family History

     


 






Amazon Ads

The Steamship 'Titanic'

Oil on canvas, 48.5 x 77.5 cm, by Adrianus Johannes Jansen, 1913
National Maritime Museum,  Greenwich, London


A stylised depiction of RMS Titanic at sea on the Atlantic, with the ship surging through choppy waters, its black hull covered in rows of gold-rimmed portholes and a stark white superstructure stacked above. Four tall yellow funnels trail black smoke into the sky, adding to the dramatic effect. Lines of rigging stretch between the masts, and the flags—an American flag at the foremast and a Red Ensign at the stern—contribute to the sense of movement. An iceberg rises ominously to the left. The depiction lacks realistic scale and detail. The ship is shown with exaggerated proportions and decorative elements that do not align with historical photographs or technical plans of the vessel. Notably, the funnels are overly spaced, and the lifeboat arrangements are inaccurate. As the artist could not have seen Titanic in person, the image reflects popular imagination more than factual representation.