Shipping in Rough Seas

Thomas Buttersworth, Jr., attributed, c. 1820

It’s blowing hard enough for the little lug-rigged boat on the right to be deeply reefed with her mizzen furled. She may be a small pilot boat of the type common in the Thames estuary. The main subject, a ship-rigged vessel, has single-reefed her topsails. Her crew is furling the mainsail, while others sheet home the jib.

Look at the painting: The main vessel has gunports painted on her side, but these may be fake. She does have some guns aft on the quarterdeck and a pair forward on each side. Two vessels are at anchor while a third is running out with full topsails.

Oil on canvas