Art Gallery of Old Ship Portraits and Marine Paintings
 


Large Ship Portrait of the *Hamburger Viermaster Pisagua - geführt von Capt. E. Bahlke* off a coastline 1893 - the four-masted Bark and Flying P-Liner is shown under full sail at sea with other shipping and a white cliffs headland on the right - Oil on canvas, 61 by 91 cm (24 by 36 inch), with frame 94 x 120 cm (37 by 47 inch) - signed lower left, inscribed with title and ship`s name also mentioned on the bow and in a flag - Private Collection

Note: The painting is housed in a monumental and partly real gilted gesso frame which is the original frame. This representative frame has small chips in a few places but is otherwise in good condition. The painting has been preserved in the family of Capt. Bahlke from 1893 until early 2007. It has never been cleaned or restored when being in the family and showed a thick layer of dirt and yellowed varnish as well as a small tear in the middle and inconsistence of paint in the lower right and upper left area. It has now carefully been cleaned and restored. This early P-Liner portrait can be considered as an unusual and remarkable well done work by the young Jensen. .
Alfred Jensen
(German, 1859-1935)
* Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium *

Presented by the FineArtEmporium in Hamburg.

Kapitänsbild von Alfred Jensen
Alfred Jensen (German, 1859-1935) - *Hamburger Viermaster Pisagua Capt. E. Bahlke 1893* off a coastline with cliffs -
Go back to the page for Alfred Jensen or the Gallery - Photo Copyright is with the Fineartemporium.



Following are shown some more photos of the painting:

Alfred Jensen P-Liner Kapitänsbild*

and a detail photo:

Gemälde Flying P-Liner Pisagua


*

The "Pisagua" was built in 1892 as a four-masted steel barque by Joh. C. Tecklenborg in Geestemünde for F. Laeisz in Hamburg. The sister ship was the "Placilla". It was first commanded by Captain J. Früdden and sailed from Lizard Point to Valparaiso in 71 days and from Iquique to Lizard Point in 74 days. In 1893 Captain E. Bahlke took over the command (and on this occasion this ship portrait was executed for him) and made in the next 8 years until 1901 many remarkable voyages (mostly to Chile), eg. from the English Channel to Taltal in 69 days or from Lizard Point to Iquique in 69 days or to Valparaiso in only 67 days or from Lizard Point to Calcutta in 99 days and from Calcutta to Boston, MA in 111 days. From 1901 until 1903 the ship was commanded by Hinrich Nissen and from 1904 until 1908 by H.A. Dehnhardt. Two other captains followed until in 1912 it had a collision with the P&O Steamer "Oceana" at Beechy Head (it was the blame of the steamer !) and was towed to Dover for repair and sold in the same year to Norway. Only one year later in 1913 it stranded at the Shetland Islands. The command of the "Pisagua" was a climax in the career of Captain Bahlke.

Alfred Jensen is widely known as a marine painter - with an extensive Ouevre. Only few of his paintings done after 1905 and after he became "Prof." in Hamburg are worth to mention which was caused by overproduction and later also by strong drinking. Anyway his rare, early paintings and especially his Ship Portraits done before 1900 are better.


Kapitänsbild Alfred Jensen