The Norwegian American Line's Stavangerfjord

Den Norske Amerikalinje (Norwegian American Line) was founded in 1910 and the first passenger liners ordered for the new Norway to New York service were built by the Cammell Laird shipyard in 1913 at Birkenhead. The 10,666 gross ton Kristianiafjord and Bergensfjord were so successful that a slightly larger ship was ordered from Cammell Laird in 1915. Although work was delayed because of the First World War, the 12,977 gross ton Stavangerfjord was completed before the end of the war in April 1918, which was very unusual as most shipyards at the time gave priority to ships needed for the war effort.

This oil was painted at the time of Stavangerfjord's completion and shows her with the Norwegian flag on the side of her hull. Norwegian American Line operated across the Atlantic for most of the First World War as Norway was a neutral country. During her long, forty-six year career with Norwegian American Line, Stavangerfjord became one of the most famous Norwegian liners. After the German occupation of Norway in 1940, she became a troop accommodation ship at Oslo and returned to the New York run in 1945. She was sold to Hong Kong breakers in 1964.

Arthur Burgess had a long association with Cammell Laird and produced numerous paintings of ships built by the yard during the first quarter of the 20th century.