Titania at Sea — A Composite Clipper of the Tea Trade
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Titania at Sea depicts one of the last great ships designed and built to win the fiercely competitive tea trade between China and England.
Titania was a composite-built clipper, meaning her hull combined the best of both worlds: an iron frame for strength and durability, with a wooden planked exterior for speed through the water. This hybrid construction, developed in the 1860s, represented the pinnacle of 19th-century maritime engineering before the widespread adoption of steam.
Built in 1866, Titania was highly competitive in the tea trade, where speed was everything. The race from Foochow (Fuzhou), China back to London determined profit margins and a ship's reputation. In 1871, under Captain J. Dowdy, Titania achieved the fastest passage of the year: 93 days from Foochow against the South West monsoon.
For a time, Titania flew the house flag of Shaw, Lowther and Maxton, one of England's most prestigious shipping lines. But by the 1880s, the days of the clipper were numbered. The Hudson's Bay Company purchased Titania, and she was refitted for work in northern waters. Eventually, she was relegated to Mediterranean service and finally broken up in Marseilles in 1910.
This painting reconstructs Titania from period sources, including the full model preserved in the National Maritime Museum. It captures her in her prime, under full canvas, cutting through the ocean with the speed and elegance that made clippers legendary. Signed GS lower right, and dated 2026 lower left.
Interested in this painting? Simply get in touch, then I'll confirm availability and talk you through the details.
This painting was researched primarily from the very high quality model kept on display at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. I could draw on a wider body of research about clippers more generally for futher sources of information, and text sources to confirm details like the flag.
A closer look at Titania at Sea
1 min film · on YouTube
A short film showcasing the painting including the details of the hull and rigging, and the brushwork on the sea. You'll see what the picture is like up close and the details of the frame.
If you'd like to see more before making a decision, I would be happy to send you additional photographs of the painting or create a mock up of it on your wall.
Enquire about this painting
Let me know if you're interested in this painting, and I'll reply with pricing and shipping details for your location. Some works are shared with partner galleries or at exhibition, so I'll confirm availability personally, usually within one working day.
Every enquiry comes to me directly, and I'm always happy to answer questions about the painting, the framing, or the shipping before you commit to anything.
"It has arrived and is gorgeous!" — Private Collector, USA
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You can speak to me directly by email: gregory@marinepaintings.art or phone: +44 (0) 7916 066 226
Oil painter specialising in maritime subjects. I've exhibited seven times with the Royal Society of Marine Artists, becoming a membership candidate in 2026. Works held in private collections across ten countries.
