Prisoner of War

During the Napoleonic Wars, thousands of French and Spanish sailors spent years in British prison hulks. Many of these men had been conscripted into their countries' navies leaving behind their peacetime jobs as jewelers, woodworkers, and craftsmen. During their imprisonment they used their skills to while away the hours of captivity. Among the most popular subjects were ship models. The anonymous prisoners had no plans to consult, and only the crudest materials to work with; they made hulls and masts from beef bones and rigging from the hair of sympathetic ladies. While the results left something to be desired in terms of accuracy, the best prisoner-of-war models are truly poignant works of art.

For more information, e-mail collections@MarinersMuseum.org.