Battersea from Cremorne

Cremorne Gardens stood on the site of the present World's End estate in Chelsea. It was formerly the site of Chelsea Farm, bought by Thomas Dawson, created Viscount Cremorne in 1785. His house was later bought by Charles Random de Berenger, who styled himself Baron de Beaufain, and who opened the Cremorne Stadium in 1832. According to the prospectus, this was 'established for the tuition and practice of skilful and manly exercises generally'. These included swimming, rowing, shooting, fencing and boxing. The venture was not successful and other diversions, such as mock tournaments and balloon ascents, were soon being offered. In the 1840s the 12 acres were reopened as pleasure gardens with a banqueting hall, theatre, grottoes and 'lavender bowers' to accomodate 1,500 people. The amusements continued, and in 1861 Madame Genevieve crossed the Thames from here on a tightrope. It was only after this watercolour was painted that the gardens acquired an unfortunate reputation as 'the nursery of every kind of vice'. They were closed in 1877, and the site was covered by Lots Road Power Station.

Initially a painter of marine pictures with a studio in Newcastle, Carmichael later undertook extensive tours of Holland, Italy and the Baltic, and covered the Crimean War for the Illustrated London News. He collaborated with John Dobson on the colouring of his architectural drawings, and also lived in London for a time, before retiring to Scarborough on grounds of ill health. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, the British Institution and the British Society of Artists.

A centenary exhibition of the artist's work was held at the Laing Gallery, Newcastle, in 1968, and his studio sale was held at Christie's on 24-25 November 1870.