HMS Asia (1824)
 Asia by John Ward of Hull
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Asia |
| Ordered | 22 April 1819 |
| Builder | Bombay Dockyard |
| Laid down | January 1822 |
| Launched | 19 January 1824 |
| Fate | Sold, 1908 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type | Canopus-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 2289 bm |
| Length | 193 ft 10 in (59.08 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 52 ft 4.5 in (15.964 m) |
| Depth of hold | 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
|
HMS Asia was an 84-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 19 January 1824 at Bombay Dockyard.[1]
She was Codrington's flagship at the Battle of Navarino.
She served in the Syria campaign against Mehemet Ali, in the Eastern Mediterranean, 1840–41
In 1858 she was converted to serve as a guardship, and during several years she was flagship of the Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard.
In 1908 she was sold out of the navy.[1]
HMS Asia is a very compact figurehead compared to many of the others that survive today.[2]
There are no lasting records that detail who would have been responsible for the carving of the figurehead. Its creation would have happened under the prominent Wadia family of India who owned a large shipbuilding dynasty and obtained the contract from the East India Company for building docks and ships at Bombay Dockyard (now Mumbai). The Wadias brought other Parsi shipwrights to Bombay with them, who potentially worked on the figurehead carving.[3]
Photographs of the ship before it was broken up show the figurehead sitting atop scrolls, with drapery around the neck that flows down to the trailboards, but it lacks the folds of simulated cloth that usually wrap around the base of the torso on other carvings of a similar nature.[4]
Surviving images show the carving in a white turban to match the garment it wears, meaning the earthy red he wears today is a modern restoration to bring more vibrancy and life to the figure. A photograph within the collection of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, dated 1911 shows Asia as previously having a darker, more authentic skin tone - his pale and unnatural skin colour of today is yet another decision by a modern restorer.
The bareness of the figurehead is something more closely linked with Indian labourers or servants than someone of a higher social standing. The same 1911 photograph shows his chest was once covered by what appears to be the traditional Indian kurta, however the 19th century painting - HMS Asia Taking in Her Sails - by Richard Brydges Beechey, portrays the figurehead with a bare chest as he is today, wearing a gold necklace and turban ornament as well as gold earrings.[5] The original intention of the figurehead was likely to depict a man of high social importance that would look aesthetically attractive on the bow of the ship.
Gold is a symbol of wealth, prosperity and abundance in Indian culture (and is also used in many faiths for worship, such as Hinduism, where it is believed to have the power to purify).[6] Turban ornaments – also known as sarpech - were often worn to symbolise the status of its wearer in Hinduism, Sikhism and by Muslim princes. Turban ornaments made from gold tended to have been made in the northern parts of India[7] – the British favoured northern India due to it cooler climate, so this perhaps had some influence over the type of adornment used.
The large downward sloping eyes of the figurehead are typical of Indian carved figureheads and are similar to those found on other Bombay (Mumbai)-carved figureheads such as HMS Calcutta and HMS Madagascar. Their likeness can also be found in Indian art and on wooden Indian toys.
The figurehead, like the rest of the ship, made of teak, most likely Malabar teak. Teak was the primary material used in Indian shipbuilding and figurehead carving, owed to its superior properties that kept ships – and their adornments – seaworthy for upwards of 50 years.[8]
HMS Asia’s depiction is one of generic Indian appearance, and does not necessarily represent any specific Indian person; it is more likely that his appearance is an amalgamation of how the British wanted the figurehead to look, and Indian influence with regards to carving style and better understanding of Indian dress.
According to David Pulvertaft, the figurehead was removed from the ship before it was sold in 1909 as it appears in the 1911 Admiralty Catalogue amongst other figureheads, where it was described as a 'Figurehead of a Rajah (bust)'.[9]
Conservation and restoration
[edit]The report from a recent paint analysis carried out by Lincoln Conservation at the University of Lincoln in 2024 showed that the most complete paint sample held at least 45-50 paint extant schemes. Such levels of redecoration would be expected of a figurehead that was constantly exposed to the elements, pollution and the salt water of the ocean.[10]
The earliest layers indicate the use of a white or off-white lead oil paint, though whether this was applied as a primer to prepare the wood surface or as a decorative scheme is unknown. It was common for figureheads to be painted white to keep the cost of their production down.
Colour paint appears early in the paint records, primarily consisting of earth pigments: red and yellow ochres, browns and blacks, all applied as lead oil paints. These were perhaps applied to the turban, decorative adornments such as jewellery and the skin areas of the figurehead. The tendency for colours from specific features to bleed over onto other neighbouring features suggests that the painter lacked care and experience, suggesting it may have been done by sailors or other naval personnel, rather than specialist painters.[11]
The middle schemes are predominantly white paints, alternating between early lead oil paints and zinc with white paints later in the record. These make up the majority of the historic layers, Traces of gilding were found in a few areas (on the scrollwork sides, on the turban, and on the front drapery), as was common on figureheads, particularly those painted white.
The shoulders, which are currently painted in the same colour as the skin, were originally painted to match the rest of the drapery, and were likely intended to represent clothed rather than bare arms, as can be seen in later photographs of HMS Asia's figurehead.[12]
The figurehead can be seen on display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.[13]
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 190.
- ^ Pulvertaft, David (2009). The Warship Figureheads of Portsmouth (1st Colour ed.). UK: The History Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0752450766.
- ^ "The Wadias of India". www.zoroastrian.org.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ Pulvertaft, David (2009). The Warship Figureheads of Portsmouth (1st Colour ed.). UK: The History Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0752450766.
- ^ "HMS Asia Taking in Her Sails by Richard Brydges Beechey | Buy Maritime Prints Online". Historical Maritime. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ gemfind.developer (22 November 2024). "History of Gold Jewelry in Indian Tradition | Gold City Jewelers We are your trusted jewelry store in Rockville. We specialize in custom diamond jewelry and 22kt jewelry. Visit us today in Rockville, MD". Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "India - Turban ornament". www.rct.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ Bange, M. K., Commodore. "Ancient Shipbuilding in India" (PDF). Journal of Naval Engineering. 34 (1): 228–236 – via Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Pulvertaft, David (2009). The Warship Figureheads of Portsmouth (1st Colour ed.). UK: The History Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0752450766.
- ^ Sturgeon, Celeste (2024). HMS Asia Figurehead Paint Research. Lincoln, UK: Lincoln Conservation. p. 9.
- ^ Sturgeon, Celeste (2024). HMS Asia Figurehead Paint Research. Lincoln, UK: Lincoln Conservation. p. 9.
- ^ Sturgeon, Celeste (2024). HMS Asia Figurehead Paint Research. Lincoln, UK: Lincoln Conservation. p. 9.
- ^ "Discover the Royal Navy like never before | National Museum of the Royal Navy". www.nmrn.org.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
References
[edit]- Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
External links
[edit]
Media related to HMS Asia (ship, 1824) at Wikimedia Commons
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