Hamersen Miniature Ship & Cannon
January 27, 2022 – May 1, 2022
This Spotlight exhibition features a replica of an 1814 ship called the Lark used during the War of 1812 as well as a miniature ship’s cannon crafted from wood salvaged from the Maryland, which was sunk at Pearl Harbor, both meticulously hand-crafted by Clarence Hamersen over the course of several decades.
The Lark
Built at Baltimore, 1814
The original ship was built at Baltimore; it was one of many designed to raid English commerce during the War of 1812. The ships were patterned after the Jamaica-Bermuda sloops, with influence by the French Chassis-Maree type. They were rigged as topsail schooners, and they were the speediest ships then afloat. After the war, some were stolen by pirates; others took on a horrific second life as slave ships and blockade runners during the Civil War, 1861–1865.
Ship's Cannon
Ship’s Cannon depicts a style of cannon used in the Napoleonic Wars, through the War of 1812, and even in the Civil War. It is on rollers, so that when the gun ports are open, it can be rolled out after being loaded. During battle, the cannon would be loaded, rolled out, shot, and rolled back. Crews spent endless hours practicing timing and speed, so a “broadside” of cannon would fire simultaneously. When wooden battle ships ceased being built, this type of cannon became obsolete.
About the Miniaturist
Exhibition Sponsorship
Our 2022 Exhibition Season is supported in part by Sterling Investment Management, LLC, a private, independent, employee owned investment management boutique. For over 25 years, this Tucson-based firm has created sophisticated portfolios of individual securities designed to meet each client’s financial planning objectives. Their long-standing tradition of growing and safeguarding their clients’ wealth on a risk-adjusted basis has defined the success of both their clients and Sterling since 1995.
Our 2022 Exhibition Season is supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts.