The Marine Paintings of Malcolm Armstrong
Oil Paintings of Ships and the Sea

Steamship in heavy weather off the coast 16in x 20in

This painting is not of any specific ship. Obviously, by the smoke from her funnel she is an old coal burner reminiscent of my first trip to sea, she will be in dire trouble if the wind shifts from off shore to on shore. A sailing ship would never intentially sail this close to the coast, and even a steamer should be further off. She may be getting some shelter from the land but it is a risky situation and many ships have come to grief by sailing too close to shore and not having the power to escape. The coast depicted here could be the west coast of North America or it could be one of many other places. It is a painting of situation and atmosphere, not of location.