A Steam Train on the Ottoman Railway. David Hall McKewan 1816-1873. Watercolour and pencil heightened with bodycolour; signed and dated 1859 25.5 x 48.25 inches. Provenance: Thomas Russell Crampton, and thence by descent. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
Commentary by the Maas Gallery
The picture was formerly in the collection of Thomas Russell Crampton (1816-1888), a distinguished railway engineer. Crampton was a consultant during the building of the Ottoman railways in the 1850's. He also gave his name to `Crampton's Patent` in the field of steam engine design and received a gold medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851 for his locomotive `The Liverpool`.
The Ottoman Railway Company was established in 1856; the first section to be completed was opened in October 1858. Kemer Station, in Izmir, at the head, is the oldest railway station in Turkey, and the railway was the first in Anatolia, carrying figs from the fertile plains to the South East of Izmir. Building work continued until 1912 but the company was acquired by the Republic of Turkey in 1935. The line eventually ran from Smyrna (Izmir) to Egridir.
The Maas Gallery, 15a Clifford Street, London W1S 4JZ has most generously given its permission to use in the Victorian Web information, images, and text from its catalogues, and this generosity has led to the creation of many valuable documents on painting and drawing. The copyright on text and images from their catalogues remains, of course, with the Gallery. Readers should consult their website to obtain information about recent exhibitions and to order their catalogues. [GPL]
Last modified 5 September 2014