Robert Strickland Thomas: A Mariner’s Eye on the Eighteenth Century Robert Strickland Thomas, a name perhaps less familiar than many of his contemporaries in 19th-century British art, nevertheless stands as a significant figure in the development of maritime illustration. Born in 1787 and tragically passing away in 1853, Thomas’s career was inextricably linked to the burgeoning world of paddle steamers and naval scenes – subjects that captured both the romance of exploration and the practical realities of commerce and warfare. His work offers a unique window into a period of rapid technologi…