The Pitons, St. Lucia

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

The Pitons, located on the southwest coast of in Saint Lucia near the towns of Soufriere and Choiseul, are two volcanic plugs. At over 2,000 feet high, they are the most famous landmark on the island.

This is one of two lithographic prints, published as illustrations to the book ‘Andrews’ Illustrations of the West Indies: Sailing Directions for the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Florida’. The publication is partly a collection of attractive lithographic prints, showing landscapes of the Caribbean, and partly a guide for sailors visiting the area, with technical illustrations of the shoreline and details of precise locations in longitude and latitude. The text accompanying this plate includes the following:

‘Many of the heights assume very fantastic shapes, and several of them leave no doubt as to their having been, probably at no very remote period, active craters. In one of them, called Soufrière, the acting volcanic agency is still attended by the sulphurous vapours which are still arising from it. Two of the most remarkable are the Great and Little Pitons, situated near the S. W. shore, and shown in the accompanying view.’

From c.1842 William Stephen Andrews captained mail steamers for the Royal West India Mail Co. During voyages between the West Indies and Southampton he made sketches, published as ‘Illustrations of the West Indies’ (1859). In 1847 he gained a nautical astronomy master’s at the Royal Naval College. Later that year he became Harbour Master at Lowestoft, constructing the new harbour there. In c.1851 he was employed as Managing Director of the North of Europe Steam Navigation Co. In 1856 he leased a shipyard adjoining Lowestoft Harbour. However, in 1861 he and his brother John appeared at Suffolk County Court for misconduct over the shipbuilding business. John was jailed and Andrews entered Bethel Hospital for Lunatics, Norwich, where he died.
Thomas Goldsworth Dutton, draughtsman and lithographer of shipping subjects, produced engravings after his own designs as well as after those of his contemporaries. His engravings include views of warships, yachts and yachting races, P&O steam ships, clippers and naval engagements. He was based in London and worked for Day & Son. His prints were usually available with or without hand-colouring. Dutton exhibited 15 sea pieces, mainly watercolours, at the Society of British Artists in Suffolk Street between 1858 and 1879. He lived at addresses in Wandsworth and Stockwell, London.

Places

Caribbean Islands (West Indies), St. Lucia, The Pitons, Caribbean Sea

Subjects

topography, seascape/coastal scene, rock formation, stone/rock, steamboat, sailboat

Materials & Techniques

lithograph, colour lithograph

Artist

William Stephen Andrews ( - c.1868)
Thomas Goldsworth Dutton (c.1819 - 1891)

Title

The Pitons, St. Lucia

Date

Medium

Colour lithograph

Dimensions

height: 30.50 cm, width: 21.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Parker Gallery, November 1956

GAC number

3629