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"Don’t give up that ship!"
(18th and 19th Centuries )
Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813) was mortally wounded on May 6, 1813, during an engagement in the War of 1812 between his ship, the USS "Chesapeake," and the British frigate HMS "Shannon." While being carried below deck, Lawrence is said to have uttered his last command-"Don't give up the ship!"-which became a popular rallying cry of the American navy. Miller was interested in patriotic themes throughout his career. In this early painting, he worked in a tradition of depicting the tragic deaths of military heroes, established by Benjamin West, John Trumbull, and Francesco Bartolozzi.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Virginia Miller (Mrs. Hush King); Sale, Chapellier Galleries, New York, 1969; Walters Art Museum, 1969, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2011 | Setting Sail: Drawings of the Sea from WAM. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1988 | Alfred Jacob Miller: Maryland and the West. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore; Washington College, Chestertown; Frostburg State University, Frostburg; Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville. |
| 1981-1982 | Alfred Jacob Miller: An Artist on the Oregon Trail. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore; Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth; Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody. |
| 1971 | Alfred Jacob Miller. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 1/11/1982 | Examination | examined for loan |
Geographies
USA (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 20 1/2 x W: 18 in. (52 x 45.7 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase,, 1969
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
37.2463