The port of Livorno sits on the western coast of Tuscany, on the Ligurian Sea. Livorno is the capitol of the province of the same name, and has been a center of trade for centuries. Historically, the city was called Leghorn in English.
The full-rigged ship HOUGHTON of 787 tons was built in 1849 and was originally owned by her builder Levi Houghton & Sons of Bath, Maine. Records indicate that the ship was used for a time to carry Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Potato Famine to the United States. Later, the ship became used primarily for trade and cargo, which this portrait proves brought it to Livorno's shores.
At the end of the 17th century, Livorno underwent a period of great urban planning and expansion, eventually becoming the most important port in Tuscany. Powerful shipping countries established trading houses in the city, bringing sailors and visitors in large numbers, particularly the British and French.
The city's importance did not escape Napoleon's notice, and during the late 18th century's Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars his troops would occupy Livorno. By 1808 all of Tuscany was incorporated into the Napoleonic Empire. After Napoleonic France's defeat and surrender in May 1814, the Congress of Vienna gave rule of Tuscany to Austria. That would last until 1861 when the then Kingdom of Italy would regain control of Livorno. Renault's notable inclusion of three Italian flags on shore and sea in this painting surely commemorates the recent victory.
Historical records indicate that many American merchant vessels were expected in Livorno in late 1862. Clearly the HOUGHTON and her captain, William G. Percy were among those to enter the port. Renault has shown the ship here with all of the artistic skill and technical accuracy for which he is best known.
Renault's depiction offers a level of detail and breadth of scope rare among the artist's works. We see a full panorama of Livorno harbor including the fortified sea wall. Multiple ships, including at least two other American vessels, line the harbor, with many more fading into the distance. Smaller local boats sit between, and a group of fishing boats lie just off HOUGHTON's bow. Livorno's harbor fort and lighthouse protect the dense city whose buildings crowd right to the water's edge.
Having sailed into Livorno, Commander Percy would have instantly known this view. He commissioned Renault to create, in this work, an exceptional reminder of his ship's visit to the port. The best work by the artist that we have seen.
