Talk:The North-West Passage

Description of painting

The caption at the Tate says “ The north-west passage is a dangerous sea route round North America via the Canadian Arctic. For centuries, European explorers attempted to use it as a trade route to Asia. It became associated with failure, adversity and death, with ships and their crews battling against hopeless odds in a frozen wilderness. Millais painted this when an English expedition was setting off. Millais suggests the risks of the voyage through the grim expression of the old seaman. His daughter is pictured beside him, reading from a log book.” This is at odds with the article. The caption at its first display needs a reference. The painting is about danger, and possibly resolution, not failure. I haven’t studied the article fully, but these errors popped out immediately. Humphrey Tribble (talk) 20:53, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

Shaw’s opinion

I don’t see “doleful imagery of failure and frustration”. In the young woman, I see worry, perhaps for a younger man now making the attempt. In the man, I see determination. So a quotation from Shaw would be helpful. Humphrey Tribble (talk) 22:52, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

The other illustration on the wall

To the left, there is a print of someone who might be an 18th-century naval officer. Has it been identified? Humphrey Tribble (talk) 23:06, 7 September 2023 (UTC)