H.M.S. Calcutta
- Artist: Lubaina Himid CBE RA
- Date: 2021
- Medium: Acrylic paint and charcoal on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1832 × 2442 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “H.M.S. Calcutta” by Lubaina Himid CBE RA. Created in 2021 with acrylic and charcoal on canvas, the work places two women on a ship’s deck, their eyes fixed on the grey expanse beyond. One woman leans against the railing, a fan open in her hand – a gesture the artist says means “do not betray our secret.” Beside her, her companion stands, both of them wrapped in a long green skirt that spills across the composition. The skirt even supports a chair, a bubble hovers nearby, and a green shape drifts in the water, echoing the dress and hinting at a connection with the surrounding landforms.
Himid re‑works a historic scene, taking its title from James Tissot’s 1876 “The Gallery of HMS Calcutta (Portsmouth).” While Tissot’s painting celebrates flirtation, Himid’s version turns the focus to contemplation and longing, replacing romance with a sense of confinement. The piece sits within a group produced for her solo show “Water has a perfect memory” at Hollybush Gardens, exploring how past and present collide on a ship’s deck. The fan, the green fabric, the tense atmosphere all combine to invite viewers to consider what secrets and memories might be carried across water and time.
See it in person
H.M.S. Calcutta is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
