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MMA, M2006.2.1Photographed by Roger Lloyd, Nova Scotia Museum
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A Moment Frozen in Time: Samuel Cunard's steamship RMS America arrives in Halifax, Valentines Day, 1859
This rare painting shows one of the Cunard
Line's first generations of steamers challenging Halifax's ice-filled harbour. The winter of 1859 was one of the few occasions
when Halifax's normally ice-free harbour froze. America made a big
impression when she successfully smashed her way through the ice, demonstrating
the power and reliability of Cunard's new steam technology. The artist has depicted a cross-section of
Nova Scotians gathered on ice skates to witness this memorable event. America
can be seen firing a gun in salute to the Lieutenant Governor's Residence and the group on the left is believed to be the Governor
himself along with his family and aide-de-camp. Paintings of Samuel Cunard's steamships in Halifax while he was still alive are almost unknown,
making this a rare glimpse of these
revolutionary steamships in Halifax's Golden Age.
One mystery about the painting is the artist. It is signed "Avery" but there are no records of an artist named Avery in Halifax during this time. We have speculated that the dapper man with a cane on the far right looking out at us may be a self portrait of Avery. If you recognize a long-lost relative - let us know!
One mystery about the painting is the artist. It is signed "Avery" but there are no records of an artist named Avery in Halifax during this time. We have speculated that the dapper man with a cane on the far right looking out at us may be a self portrait of Avery. If you recognize a long-lost relative - let us know!
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