Does anyone know anything about this painting?

According to a family friend, her husband’s father, Jack, came down to Penzance from Lowestoft quite regularly when the steam-powered mackerel drifters filled Newlyn harbour but this would have been early in the 20th Century so way after the date of this painting. However, there was a huge hulk, full of coal, which stood in the middle of Newlyn harbour, and all the throngs of mackerel drifters would be supplied with coal from this when they were down from December to March each year. By the beginning of the 2nd Word War, this huge vessel was already on its last legs. Jack would deal with its owner, Craske, and later started up a firm to the right of what was once Taylor’s Garage and is now a Photographic gallery, and Dock Inn car park behind the Barbican near St Anthony’s Gardens.

His was a coal business:
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/1326/salmanacpz1936.jpg

Certainly looks like it! The angles are right although some liberty may have been taken with the buildings.

It raises more questions than it answers; it is discussed by Pas Pool in his book, to move it from it's anchorage into the harbour would have ben recorded if only to ensure it was properly towed and charged accordingly. I am not at all sure it could have been the same vessel in any event , l. I will check back in my copy of the book

Significant by its absence is the Wherry mine workings begun by Curtiss in 1778, too close in date to be ignored, for the scheme to have been considered the vessel would have been moved by that date.

Alfred Herbert (died 1861), was an English watercolour painter.
Herbert was the son of a Thames waterman, who apprenticed him to a boatbuilder, but, yielding to a strong natural inclination, he became an artist. He began to exhibit with the Society of British Artists in 1844, and at the Royal Academy in 1847, his subjects being coast scenes, with fishing-boats and figures, and views in the lower reaches of the Thames. He sent an oil picture to Suffolk Street in 1855, and continued a regular contributor of water-colours at the Royal Academy until 1860. Though he was entirely self-taught, his works displayed remarkable vigour and genius, but they failed to meet with general appreciation, and he could only dispose of them to the dealers at extremely low prices. He died suddenly at the beginning of 1861, leaving a widow and seven children in distressed circumstances. The South Kensington Museum possesses two examples of his art.

Thanks for all the interesting information, Treeve, but what is happening in the picture? Are they unloading a cargo of coal, is the boat stranded and shipwrecked, being prepared for transferring to Newlyn Harbour or simply delivering? Where does PAS Pool write about this vessel. Presumably it's on a page of his history of Penzance, but do you know which one, please? Anyway, I wonder if the painting is very valuable nowadays.

as I say it asks more questions than it answers, it was at a time when so very much was happening anyway, one scarecely knows where to begin. It was known as "the hulk" what vessel it actually was is not revealed in records at Newlyn. But there are photographs of a later date in Newlyn of her. They do not indicate the same structure at all. I am limited in what can be copied and what cannot by copyright laws. What is obvious from a quick look that detail of the seafront at the time 1861 is incorrect, but artistically ordered. Bear in mind the state of the family.

Thanks for your reply, Treeve. What do you mean, 'bear in mind the state of the family'? Do you mean the artist's family and are implying that Herbert is trying to be commercial and so is not trying to make a 'photographic' record of the event in the picture. Is PAS Pool's writing on the vessel in his 'History of the Borough of Penzance' or whatever it was called. (Incidentally, congrats on sharing the January photographic prize for this site!)

"He died suddenly at the beginning of 1861, leaving a widow and seven children in distressed circumstances". Says it all. Also the subject it sofar away from his normal view and style, one wonders as to the state of completion upon his death, and how much was completed afterwards. I have the Newlyn records of vessels, it will take some considerable time to go through these, and those of Penzance.