{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O147232"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O147232/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT5055/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT5055/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT5055","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O147232/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O147232","accessionNumber":"SD.679","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Town & Harbor of Cosire Red Sea","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The development of the steamship in the early nineteenth century meant that the Red Sea became navigable at all seasons, and made possible the establishment of the so-called Overland Route between England and India, via Egypt. Marine surveys were carried out to determine the best routes and the most convenient coaling stations for steamers along the coasts of the Red Sea, and the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba. Moresby was Commander of the East India Company's ship Palinurus, which took part in one of these surveys between 1829 and 1834. Their findings were published by the East India Company in Sailing Directions for the Red Sea (1841), where Qusayr is described as containing about 2,000 inhabitants. Here travellers, instead of sailing on up to Suez, could disembark and continue their journey overland across the desert to the Nile and thence to Cairo. \r\n\r\nSeven other watercolours done by Moresby during this survey are in the Searight Collection (with five more at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich). Though probably trained as a draughtsman at a naval academy, his compositions pay little regard to pictorial convention and are refreshingly idiosyncratic.","physicalDescription":"Watercolour drawing","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Moresby, Robert (Captain)","id":"A21530"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour drawing","id":"x37878"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ink and watercolour","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"},{"text":"Orientalism","id":"x31272"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BT5055"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SCX","shelf":"10","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1829-1834","earliest":"1829-01-01","latest":"1834-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed on the back with title and some Passengers land here from the steamers who wish to visit Thebes. and No. 17 and on a label formerly attached to the back \"Town and Anchorage of Cosire on the Coast of Egypt, here passengers from the Indian Steamers land who wish to visit Thebes\"  Red Sea  by Captn. Robert Moresby the Hon'ble E.I.Co'y's Navy circa 1830","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"According to Rodney Searight: -   `Bt. fr. Mrs. Schidlof. Dec. 1966 [with one other]  £50'  [i.e. SD.677-683]","historicalContext":"Reproduced with variations in F.R. Chesney, A Narrative of the Euphrates Expedition, 1868, facing p.5; lithograph by T. Picken. SD.677-684 were done during Moresby's Red Sea survey, 1829-34.  Five further drawings from this series are in the National Maritime Museum, see Searight Archive. See T. Elwon & R. Moresby, Sailing Directions for the Red Sea, 1841, pp.195-7.","briefDescription":"Watercolour, `Town & Harbor of Cosire [Quseir] Red Sea', 1829-1834, by Captain Robert Moresby","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Searight, Rodney. <i>The Middle East : watercolours and drawings by British and foreign artists and travellers, 1750-1900, from the collection of Rodney Searight, Esq.</i> London, 1971","id":"AUTH351220"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Conner, Patrick (ed). The Inspiration of Egypt : its influence on British artists, travellers, and designers, 1700-1900 . Brighton Borough Council, Brighton, 1983","id":"AUTH351232"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Quseir","id":"x41866"},{"text":"Red Sea","id":"x41411"},{"text":"Egypt","id":"x29512"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Harbours","id":"AAT8678"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SD.679"],"accessionNumberNum":"679","accessionNumberPrefix":"SD","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2008-03-11","availableToBook":false}}