Artwork
Embarkation of St. Ursula
Embarkation of St. Ursula is a print by James Fittler. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The work is a paper print that visualizes the departure of Saint Ursula, drawing its composition from a landscape originally created by Claude Lorrain. The image presents a bustling port where figures board vessels, set against a classical temple and a backdrop of atmospheric effects.
Subject & Meaning
Central to the scene is the moment of embarkation, a narrative episode from the legend of Saint Ursula. The gathering of pilgrims on the temple steps and their movement toward the ships underscores themes of pilgrimage, transition, and collective devotion, while the surrounding architecture frames the sacred journey within a civic space.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a chiaroscuro treatment, contrasting illuminated forms—such as the temple façade and ship hulls—with deeper shadows to convey depth and volume. Linear perspective guides the eye toward the horizon, and the rendering of smoke or mist in the distance adds a dramatic atmospheric layer typical of 17th‑century landscape prints.
History & Provenance
This print is a reproductive work based on Claude Lorrain’s composition, produced to disseminate the popular subject of Saint Ursula’s voyage. Though the exact date and printer are not recorded here, such prints were commonly issued in the late Baroque period for both devotional and decorative purposes.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Fittler made fine engravings of people and scenes in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
