Sailors coming and going
Post in progress
I suppose it should come as no surprise that much of the art surrounding sailors depicts them leaving for sea, or returning home.
In the Eighteenth century sailors, regularly went to sea for extended periods often years rather than a few months as they do today, and so a farewell was something that held much more meaning than today, coupled with the risk of them not returning due to disease, accidents, weather, war or simply a new wife and family in another port made homecomings all the sweeter.
Sailors Farewell
Sailors Homecoming
C1760
1885
I'll be revisiting this post later and adding a lot more to it.
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