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A naive pencil and watercolour painting of 'HMS Royal Albert', moored in Malta harbour. 'Royal Albert' was a 121 gun three-deck ship of the Royal Navy, launched in 1854. She became the flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, which at the time was chiefly concerned with the Crimean War. Sadly in Dec. 1855 she sprang a leak and had to make her way into Malta for repairs. It is possible that this sketch of the ship was executed at that time.
 
The naivety of the drawing suggests that the artist was not professional, but they certainly had an understanding of ships as the representation of the rigging is faultless. Annotated beneath the gilt slip of the maple frame 'Drawn by T. Crispin'. The card surface does have some foxing, but a charming artwork nonetheless.