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Montevideo from the anchorage of H.M.S. Beagle


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Abstract

Boats in a coastal setting, and a townscape; with colouring instructions.

Description

Drawing (ink and sepia wash), double page panorama. On 21v the foreground is blank; the sky is also blank. The horizon is annotated on the left: "El Aguada", and in the centre: "The Cordon". The background shows a far shoreline in the left and centre of the picture, consisting of lowlands with some indication of trees near the water's edge, especially to the left. In the left centre midground a two-mast boat, with sails not showing, lies facing right. The water near the far shore appears calm, but there is some indication of waves in the area of the boat. The land behind the far shoreline is coloured with a thin grey wash; a broader brownish-grey wash has been used for the foreground water to the distance of the boat. The annotation towards the left-hand end of the coloured part of the water reads: "white sand above water[?] and[?] [illeg] behind[?] which is a light brownish green". In the right centre of the picture, stretching to the right-hand edge, we see a group of five boats, probably at anchor, all shown side-on facing right. The masts and rigging of the boats is shown in some detail, and their sails are not raised. Nearer to the viewer, in slightly choppier, sepia-coloured water, a dhow-like boat sails to the right. Its two masts curve backwards; its sails are fully raised and there is a seated figure indicated in its stern. On 22r the sky remains blank. In the midground, the profile of the town stretches across the whole width of the picture, forming the horizon line. The domed cupola and conical-topped towers of Montevideo Cathedral rise prominently above other low buildings in the left centre. Many of the buildings are depicted in sufficient detail to show their small windows. In the foreground--midground below the town, some half-dozen boats are moored, all seen side-on facing right, with masts and rigging depicted in some detail, with no sails showing. Towards the foreground, the sepia-washed water appears rather choppy. At the left-hand edge of 22r, there is what may be a harbour buoy with a tall pole on top.

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