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Lighthouse Breakwater

1852/54 or 1861/62
Not on view
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
In 1812, when construction began on the Plymouth Breakwater, seen here, it was the largest, most ambitious marine engineering undertaking of its time. A mile long and made of 3,768,879 tons of stone, it took thirty-eight years to complete. When finished, the breakwater allowed forty battleships and numerous merchant vessels to anchor safely in its shelter. The plunging perspective in Tripe’s picture emphasizes the project’s massive scale.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Lighthouse Breakwater
  • Artist: Linnaeus Tripe (British, Devonport (Plymouth Dock) 1822–1902 Devonport)
  • Date: 1852/54 or 1861/62
  • Dimensions: image: 26.8 × 34.2 cm (10 9/16 × 13 7/16 in.)
    sheet: 28.2 × 35 cm (11 1/8 × 13 3/4 in.)
  • Classification: Photographs
  • Credit Line: Janet Dewan
  • Curatorial Department: Photographs