Information Artist: C. HagenerMedium: Oil on Panel Dimensions: 13 x 20 cmDimensions (Framed): 34 x 41 cmDate: 1904 - c.1930Condition Report: Vintage condition. Some paint loss, wear and damage to upper portion of the artwork (as shown). Description This finely executed marine painting depicts the Cap Ortegal, the celebrated 7,500-ton German ocean liner built in 1904 for the Hamburg Süd line. Seen advancing through a lively sea beneath an overcast sky, the vessel is presented from a low viewpoint that emphasises both her scale and elegance. Smoke rising from the funnel and the movement of the water lend the composition a convincing sense of motion, while distant sailing craft provide atmospheric context and a subtle reminder of the transition from sail to steam. Both a ship portrait and an evocative seascape, the painting reflects the pride and optimism associated with the great passenger liners of the early twentieth century. It will appeal equally to collectors of maritime art and to those with an interest in the history of German ocean travel. Biography C. Hagener was a German marine painter in the 20th century, best known for ship portraits depicting passenger liners, merchant vessels and steamships. Hagener worked within a long and distinguished German tradition of maritime painting that included artists such as Willy Stöwer, Carl Becker and Claus Bergen. Unlike those painters, whose careers were often linked to naval history or major public commissions, Hagener specialised in intimate ship portraits intended for private ownership. Today, Hagener’s paintings are valued not only as decorative works but also as records of a formative period in maritime history, when steamship travel connected continents and transformed international trade. His carefully observed depictions preserve the appearance and character of vessels that have long since disappeared, offering a tangible link to the golden age of ocean liners and merchant shipping and making them ideal for shipping enthusiasts and those connected with maritime commerce.
