Pewter Image/Picture of French Brigantine Jeune Hortense Shipwrecked at Long Rock, Penzance Cornwall 11th May 1888 - signed Sue Lake

Here on offer is a large 12” by 11.2” image/picture of the French brigantine Jeune Hortense, depicted shipwrecked in Mount’s Bay, on Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall on 11th May 1888.

It is signed in the bottom right-hand corner, Sue Lake, who I can’t trace but feel is probably a local Cornish artist?

She has used a large sheet of English pewter to produce this impressive artwork, that depicts the image/picture of the shipwreck, using traditional repousse work. It must have taken hours to produce and she has captured a lot of the fine detailing and highlighted the figures on the foreshore and the edge of St Micheal’s mount with a darkened finish to the pewter.

I believe she has produced this image/picture by referencing to a black and white photo of the incident taken at the time. Please see my last photo to see a copy.

The whole image/picture has been raised and framed with a thick rope boarder and then mounted on a wooden backing board.

At the bottom, under the image, there is a pewter plaque that has been hand impressed with details of the shipwreck.

The whole picture is in excellent condition now with some age patina to the pewter.

There is also two rings and some string on the back for hanging on a wall.


Some history of the shipwreck.

The French brigantine Jeune Hortense was swept on to the beach at Long Rock and started to sink, when she came into Mount’s Bay to land the body of a Fowey man who had died in France.

Four crew members were on the ship and Penzance’s lifeboat ‘Dora’ was pulled to the shore by a horse and carriage before being rowed out to the ship and managing to rescue all of them.

The vessel was also carrying 450 head of cattle, most of which were saved.

However, the lifeboat's attempts to re-float the Jeune Hortense were unsuccessful and the ship was abandoned there.

It was eventually broken up and use for firewood or else and the remains lie now more or less where she washed up in 1888.


The pewter sheet measures 12” (30.5cm) by 11.2” (28.3cm) and the wooden mount is 17.2” (43.5cm) by 15” (38cm).

It weighs a heavy 1.5Kg.

Please see my pictures for the details of the condition, which complement this description.

Please see my TERMS OF BUSINESS regarding Deliver Charges and Insurance regarding additional insurance cover, should you require it, BEFORE the item is dispatched.

The responsibility lies with the customer to check with your Customs restrictions that this item can be imported into your country.

Code: 51951