‘And so the idea of the Collection was born’: The Macpherson Collection of Maritime Prints from its Inception to the First Display at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Abstract

This chapter examines the significance of the Macpherson Collection of Maritime Prints at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Silvia Massa argues that the Macpherson Collection has national significance as a visual display of Britain’s sea power, and is therefore far more than a repository of art works that depict the sea. It is proposed that the prints helped to shape the discourse around national identity in Great Britain during the nineteenth century. Consideration is also given to the role of a national maritime museum and its display practices. In particular, the author illuminates how the Macpherson collection shifts in meaning according to how it has been curated over time.