Large Oil Painting SS Great Britain Steam Sailing Ship by Salvatore Colacicco





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Description


Large Marine Oil Painting – "SS Great Britain" by Salvatore Colacicco | Transatlantic 6-Masted Steamship Framed Nautical Masterpiece

Subject & Medium
Original historic marine oil painting on wood panel by acclaimed Italian-British marine artist Salvatore Colacicco, depicting the iconic 19th-century transatlantic steamship SS Great Britain. The vessel is shown in full profile in her original experimental six-masted rig with a single funnel, driving through the Atlantic with sails set and smoke trailing from her stack. Painted c.1970s, in the same decade the real ship was famously salvaged and brought home to Bristol.

Composition & Technique
This work shows Colacicco at his best, combining historical accuracy with real drama. The Atlantic swells in the foreground are rendered in deep navy, cobalt and stormy grey, giving a strong sense of movement and depth. White crests catch the light with textured strokes that suggest spray and breaking waves. Above, the sky shifts from heavy cloud to clearer blue, layered in cool greys, slate and soft ochres that create a moody, changing atmosphere.
The iron hull and intricate rigging are painted with meticulous precision, picking out lifeboats, deckhouses and tiny crew figures, while the looser treatment of sea and sky keeps the picture lively and atmospheric. Details such as the red ensign and colourful signal flags at the stern add sharp accents of colour. Overall, the painting combines technical draughtsmanship with expressive handling, so you feel both the power of the sea and the elegance of Brunel’s engineering.

About the Ship – SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and launched in 1843 for the Great Western Steamship Company. She was the first large passenger ship to combine an iron hull with screw propulsion and steam power, and at the time of launch she was the largest vessel afloat. Her 1845 maiden voyage to New York took just 14 days, a sensation in its day.
From the early 1850s she sailed regularly to Australia, carrying thousands of emigrants and helping to shape the story of global migration. Later converted to full sail, she ended her working life in the Falkland Islands as a storage and quarantine hulk. In 1970 she was dramatically rescued, towed back across the Atlantic and brought to Bristol, where she has been restored as a museum ship and major attraction within the UK’s National Historic Fleet.
Colacicco’s decision to depict her with six masts under both sail and steam reflects this pioneering early configuration and underlines the historical importance of the subject.

Signature
Signed lower left by Salvatore Colacicco. The reverse carries an information sheet on the artist and on SS Great Britain, together with auction and stock labels.

About the Artist – Salvatore Colacicco
Salvatore Colacicco was born in 1935 in Bellagio, Italy, and trained at the Brera Academy in Milan before settling in England. He is internationally recognised for traditional marine paintings inspired by 19th-century British maritime art.
He was commissioned by the Russell-Cotes Museum to paint a series of twenty-six historical panels of paddle steamers, and his work has long been popular in the United States, notably through Tonkins of Nantucket Island. Colacicco’s paintings hang in executive boardrooms and private collections worldwide, and auction records include prices in excess of 5,000 USD at major international houses & 1stdibs.

Frame
The painting is presented in an ornate gilt frame with rich moulded detail that suits the grandeur of the subject. It has been fitted with strong modern metal brackets and wire so it is ready to hang immediately.
Dimensions (Framed)
Height 64.5 cm
Width 90 cm
Depth 5.5 cm

Provenance
Private collection, UK .
Notable auction house Lawrence Fine Art Auctioneers Ltd, Crewkerne
Thence to Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD, UK (present owner). The Lawrence auction label and the artist/ship information sheet are retained on the reverse, providing useful documentary context.

Why You’ll Love It
Rare and historically accurate depiction of Brunel’s pioneering SS Great Britain in her original six-masted configuration under sail and steam.
Painted by internationally recognised marine artist Salvatore Colacicco, with strong auction record and museum connections.
A dramatic statement piece with powerful sea, sky and light effects that will dominate any wall in the best possible way.
Perfect for maritime enthusiasts, collectors of marine art, lovers of Victorian engineering and anyone with a connection to Bristol or transatlantic history.
Ready to hang in its richly ornamented gilt frame, adding instant period character to a study, library, hallway, office or yacht club.

Condition Report
The painting is in good, presentable condition. Under close inspection there are minor surface grazes and small scuffs, chiefly in the sky and sea, which are consistent with age and past handling and do not distract in normal display. The colours remain fresh and the wood panel is sound and secure within the frame.
The frame shows age-related wear, including scuffs, scratches, small losses to the gilding, shrinkage cracks and areas of old repair and retouching. Overall it retains an attractive period character and displays the work well.



Reserve: $4,860.00

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