The Old Frigate Iris with Her Freight of Cable Alongside the Great Eastern at Sheerness: The Cable Passed from the Hulk to the Great Eastern 1865

"The Old Frigate Iris with Her Freight of Cable Alongside the Great Eastern at Sheerness: The Cable Passed from the Hulk to the Great Eastern," is a watercolor painting by Robert Charles Dudley, dating back to 1865. This maritime scene depicts the "Great Eastern", the largest ship of its time, alongside a smaller frigate, the "Iris," at Sheerness, England. The "Iris" is transferring a cable to the "Great Eastern," which is a historical moment in transatlantic telegraph cable laying. The meticulous detail of the ships and the dramatic sky make this an impressive example of marine painting.