The Fishery, Newfoundland: St John's, Newfoundland, the harbour looking inland; St John's, Newfoundland, the harbour looking out to sea

Settled first by the English in the early 1600s, St John's quickly became the commercial centre of the Newfoundland fishery. The Newfoundland and Labrador coastline was a rich source of cod-fish and Europeans had begun to exploit the banks and waters from the early 16th century. The cod was a cheap and nutritious source of food, which, salted, could be both transported and kept in warmer climes. Seasonal fishing by migratory West Country and French fishermen gradually gave way to year-round fishing and settlement, and the English, with their naval supremacy in the late 16th century, became the dominant presence, although the port and waters would be fought over by the competing French, Basque and Dutch into the 18th century. The Napoleonic Wars in 1791-92 saw a boom in the industry, which attracted a large influx of Irish immigrants, keen to take advantage of the high fish prices and good wages. The present pair of panoramic views, dating to this period which coincided exactly with Reeves' mission to Newfoundland, is amongst the earliest paintings of the harbour and fishery. The views look inland and out through the narrows to the sea, and show the raised wooden platforms called 'flakes' in the foreground, where the fish were dried after being cleaned and salted.