First steamship in Boulogne

This painting depicts the arrival in the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer of a boat equipped with sails and paddle wheels powered by a steam engine, the City of Boulogne. In cloudy and windy weather, the steamer approaches the harbor entrance, flying the flag of the United Kingdom. Several boats follow to welcome it. The one in the foreground, with six people including two oarsmen, is likely returning from fishing.

In 1819, the first ship equipped with sails and a steam engine crossed the Atlantic. From that date onward, steam power revolutionized maritime transport. On August 1, 1843, the Folkestone-Boulogne line was inaugurated. It was in this context that the Ministry of the Interior commissioned a work from Eugène Isabey. This painting, entitled View of the Port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, which served as our model, is held at the Musée des Augustins in Toulouse.

• Oil on canvas stretched over a wooden frame, 50x73x2 cm; the edges are painted, everything is ready for hanging

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