-
Posted by David Sexton
- |
-
14 November, 2025
AN ARTIST who captured the very essence of seafaring is how Robert (Bob) Carter OAM is being remembered.
Robert Carter died on 25 October at the age of 94.
In a social media post from Marine Artists Australia, it was stated that he was born in Sydney in 1931.
“He spent many of his early years around Manly during which time he developed a great interest in the vessels around the harbour and at the of eleven he saw the American barque Kaiulani at anchor,” MAA stated.
“His passion for the last great square-rigged commercial sailing ships was now set and over time, Bob became recognised as a world authority on the subject.
“His work captured not just the image of the ship but the essence of seafaring itself.”
Aside from his painting, Robert Carter was also an author.
He wrote several books including Windjammers: The Final Story, Paint Me a Ship, Wartime Windjammers: Sailing Ships during World War II and The Marine Paintings of Robert Carter.
His painting and writing mostly took place in his studio in the Hunter Valley region.
More information about the work of Robert Carter is available here.
He was also an administrator of the Australian Cape Horners Association, having made contact with the last living sailors to round Cape Horn in a commercial sailing ship.
“As I have interviewed hundreds of these seafarers over the years I can paint these last tall ships and their global voyages with great authenticity,” he was quoted as saying on his website.
Robert Carter was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 2011 for his ‘services to the arts through the research, illustration recording of the history of the last commercial sailing ships’.
