Portrait Of The Ship La Concurrent By Joseph Honore Maxime Pellegrin (1793-1869)

Exceptional, historic 19th-century ship portrait depicting the merchant ship "Le Concurrent", sailing full sail and flying the French flag at the stern.

This high-quality work is attributed to Joseph Honoré Maxime PELLEGRIN (1793-1869), one of Marseille's most emblematic and sought-after port painters, renowned for the surgical precision of his naval architecture and the vivacity of his marine compositions.

This is a watercolor, executed with the technical mastery typical of master hydrographers of the period. It captures the ship gliding over a dark sea with graphic white foam crests, under a changing sky of ochre and blue hues. True to tradition, the black band at the bottom houses the calligraphic legend: "Le Concurrent".

The work is presented under its original glass in a gilded wood leaf frame.

A major plus for collectors: the back of the frame retains a handwritten historical label (dated 1938 and signed), tracing the ship's fitting-out history, exact dimensions and complete transactions between 1827 and its demolition in 1859. An absolutely rare traceability that gives this work a museum value.

• Type: Brick, later transformed into a 285-ton three-master.

• Construction: Built at La Seyne in 1827 by the builder Lombard for Étienne Assence (or Astence).

• Francitization: Francized in Marseille on August 1, 1827.

• Original dimensions: Length: 27.15 m | Width: 7.84 m | Hollow: 3.10 m.

• Successive builders: Assence, Lieutaud, Bordereau, Taron.

Chronology of ownership:

• January 26, 1836: Étienne Assence sells half (1/2) of the Concurrent to shipowner Lieutaud for the sum of 25,000 francs.

• February 23, 1843: Madame Bordereau (widow Assence) and widow Taron sell the other half to Lieutaud for 12,500 francs.

• April 20, 1850: The ship is bought by Roch Olive.

• November 9, 1859: Roch Olive sells the vessel to Ed. Tay, a demolition contractor, who carries out the final butchering of the ship.

• Research note indexed and signed on December 1, 1938 by M. Labany.

• Artist: Joseph Honoré Maxime PELLEGRIN (1793-1869) (attributed to)

• Technique: Watercolor on paper (unsigned)

• Dimensions of visual: 44 x 61 cm

• Era: Circa 1827-1830

• Condition: Fine condition, pigment freshness preserved, period frame with original patina. Period writing perfectly legible on the back.