Splicing the Cable (after the First Accident) on Board the Great Eastern, July 25th, 1865 1865 - 1866

Robert Charles Dudley's "Splicing the Cable (after the First Accident) on Board the Great Eastern, July 25th, 1865" depicts a scene aboard the Great Eastern, a steamship famous for its size. The 1865-1866 watercolor captures the moment of the cable splicing, with a group of men working diligently on a large cable, while others look on. The scene highlights the laborious and dangerous nature of the operation, providing insight into the ship's engineering and the challenges faced during the mid-19th century, the era of transatlantic cable laying. The artwork captures a moment of significant technological development, placing the viewer in the midst of the activity.