The Ulster Museum - Object Of The Month

RMS "Atlantis" by Kenneth Denton Shoesmith

June

Kenneth Denton Shoesmith (born Halifax, Yorkshire 1890; died Hampstead, London 1939).

RMS "Atlantis". c 1935.
Lithographic poster mounted as a firescreen.
Bequeathed by the artist's widow, Mrs Sarah Shoesmith, Cultra, Co Down, 1975, together with Shoesmith's entire studio contents.
The lettering, which has been cut away from this copy, reads: "CRUISE WITH THE SUN / ROYAL MAIL LINE / ATLANTIS CRUISES / NORTH IN SUMMER, SOUTH IN WINTER".
Copyright: The Furness Group 2007

This striking art deco lemon-yellow poster evidently refers to one of the tropical winter cruises. Shoesmith made a calendar print of "Atlantis" at Spitzbergen in the summer.

She was one of the "A" class steamers, all built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, under consultation with Lord Pirrie. They were the largest vessels hitherto owned by Royal Mail, putting the company in the first rank of the world's travelling lines. Launched in 1913 as "RMS Andes"; she was reconditioned by Harland and Wolff in 1930 as a cruising ship, converted from coal to oil firing, given a white hull and renamed "Atlantis". As she is flying the Blue Peter from the foremast, she must be about to sail, and passengers are being boarded. She is not in harbour, as she has her starboard anchor down. The harbour pilot has been dropped, and the pilot cutter, flying the Red Ensign, can be seen leaving the ship. As Shoesmith was a professional seaman, we may count upon it that every yard-arm and stay-rope is perfectly correct.

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was founded in 1839. Its main passenger route was from Southampton to Portugal, Morocco, the West Indies, Brazil and Argentina. Kenneth Shoesmith (1890-1939) joined its sea staff as a junior officer in 1909 and left with the rank of Chief Officer in 1918, to become a full-time painter and commercial artist. The Company is now merged with the Furness Withy Group, who are the copyright owners, but have always been most willing to waive reproduction fees. They own a magnificent 12-foot long scale model of "Atlantis".

Contact the Curator

Previous Months