Venetian mist over the Armstrong Mitchell Crane, Venice Arsenale
The Armstrong Mitchell hydraulic crane is only one of its types left in the world. It is a spectacular sculptural piece of engineering which soars above the roofline of the Venice Arsenal, the most historic dockyard in the world. The second half of the 19th century was a pivotal time in the history of navigation, with radical transformation in the way vessels were constructed, with the adoption of metal hulls and steam engines. The port was constantly acquiring state of the art machinery, the most important of which was the great hydraulic crane produced by the British manufacturer Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. (installed between 1883 and 1885). This crane was a breakthrough in engineering, permitting as it did large quantities of water to be forced through pipes at a constant pressure, thus creating more power to lift heavier weights. The result was a considerable increase in load capacity (up to 160 tons). In 1883 the Italian Navy commissioned Armstrong, Mitchell & Co. to install the crane. By 1885 it was fully functioning and in constant use for some 30 years until the First World War, being finally decommissioned in the mid-1950s. Between 1876 and 1905, nine other Armstrong cranes were installed in naval dockyards around the world, from Liverpool to Bombay to Japan. Today only the Venice crane survives. However the crane has a serious structural problem – the counterweight chamber is cracking, and if that were to give way, the crane would collapse. Venice in Peril has set up a fund to help restore this landmark in engineering history to its former glory. Any Profits from sales of this image will be donated to the Venice in Peril Fund to help preserve and restore this classic piece of British engineering. For more information log on to http://www.veniceinperil.org http://www.veniceinperil.org/donate
Our images are printed using premium K3 print technology on Hahnemühle Fine Art Torchon matt photographic paper. The special feature of the light white paper (285 g/m²) is its material: 100% alpha-cellulose defines the characteristically coarse texture. It gives your image a timeless, true-to-the-original charisma with a 3D effect. The hand-made style paper is highly water resistant and the use of premium K3 Epson prints ensures luminous colours and deep blacks for at least 100 years.
Textile print on stretcher frame – a fabric print using modern technology
Your image will be printed on fabric in razor-sharp quality and with brilliant colours and with its subtly textured surface; it transforms any photo into a unique gallery work that is full of life. During the thermal sublimation process, the colours are completely evaporated into the material. The resolution of up to 720 dpi and the enlarged CMYK colour spectrum allows accurate colour reproduction with clear contours. We only use textiles that are free of harmful substances and that have been awarded the internationally recognised Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. Your image is mounted on the solid wood stretcher frame in its true form using only, high quality stretcher frames made of solid wood. The spruce wood comes from German suppliers and is sourced from sustainable forests. To give the stretcher frames permanent protection from losing shape, we triple reinforce the corners under the textile print using metal braces. When mounting on the stretcher frame we avoid using wedges – the frame is so stable that you won't need to loosen or tighten it at a later stage and it will arrive ready to hang.
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