Three Sisters
Three Sisters is a triptych created to tell the story of the 3 iron clad steam ships
Built for luxurious Transatlantic travel, the lives led by these glamorous sisters was far from that which had been originally planned. The Titanic’s story is well-known, but equally curious is the fate of her older and younger sisters. The symbols on the quilts give clues to their unexpected histories.
Built for luxurious Transatlantic travel, the lives led by these glamorous sisters was far from that which had been originally planned. The Titanic’s story is well-known, but equally curious is the fate of her older and younger sisters. The symbols on the quilts give clues to their unexpected histories.
'3 Sisters' 141cm x 272cm © Claire Passmore 2017
Pride of Belfast (1912)
'Pride of Belfast (1912)' 70cm x 100cm © Claire Passmore 2017
Quite possibly the most famous ship in the world. Built with Edwardian vanity and pride to be the world’s largest, most extravagant ship.
Over 3 million wrought iron rivets stitched her steel plates together, each one confidently hammered home by hand. But from the very first rivet her fate was almost certainly sealed. Wrought iron rivets allowed the plates too much movement when she struck the ice. They proved to be her Achilles’ heel.
‘…And as the smart ship grew,
In stature, grace and hue,
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too….’
Thomas Hardy (The Convergence of the Twain, 1915)
Over 3 million wrought iron rivets stitched her steel plates together, each one confidently hammered home by hand. But from the very first rivet her fate was almost certainly sealed. Wrought iron rivets allowed the plates too much movement when she struck the ice. They proved to be her Achilles’ heel.
‘…And as the smart ship grew,
In stature, grace and hue,
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too….’
Thomas Hardy (The Convergence of the Twain, 1915)
