Felix Schwarmstädtartist • painterHamburg (Duitsland) 1870-1938 Locarno (Zwitserland)

In this painting, by Felix Schwarmstädt, of the first-class ballroom on the German ocean liner 'Bremen'. This turbine ship from the Norddeutsche Lloyd (NDL) was for a long time the fastest and most modern passenger ship in the world and the interior was of great luxury and comfort. In 1828 the Bremen made its 'maiden voyage' to New York, which took her four days. Around that time, the genre painter Felix Schwarmstädt must have been commissioned by the NDL to record life on board. His paintings and watercolors of elegant passengers who enjoy themselves on board were also used for posters and postcards. Schwarmstädt also made such depictions on behalf of other German shipping companies.