Collections : [Yale University -Yale Center for British Art]

Porcher was appointed the command of the small paddle wheel HMS Harpy on May 1, 1858 replacing the ailing Lieutenant Bruce, to transport the archaeologist Nathan Davis to Tunisia. Porcher and crew were essential to Nathan Davis's archaeological mission, not only assisting with excavation work but transporting removed sculptures and pavement from the dig sites.

Porcher describes the significance of the significance of the Martaban river as "the boundary between the Burmese dominions, and the territory ceded to the British Government" (66). The date of the watercolor roughly corresponds to a letter sent to his sister, Madelina, in which he briefly describes conditions following the Second Anglo-Burmese war (see Miscellaneous series, 1853 letter).

Charles Newton, Keeper of Antiquities at the British Museum, described Crendi as a complex of ruins of two temples, supposedly Phoenician, one on the summit of a hill and the other near the sea. The large blocks of stone, "like Stonehenge" were believed to form a link between prehistoric cultures and early Greek art. (Gentleman's Magazine, July, 1852, 80).

This view was published in Nathan Davis's publication, Carthage and Her Remains. Davis writes that the remains of the Molech structure was being used as materials for modern buildings (he includes a ground plan on page 148 of his publication). Described as vaulted structure, most likely surmounted by a triple dome, Davis concludes it must have contained a series of galleries and circular pilasters: "twelve to represent the twelve months, and four times twelve the forty-eight weeks of the ancient year." Its circular form symbolic of the earth's orbit, Davis is certain that it is a temple of Saturn, "the Baal Hammon of the Carthaginians, or Cronus… the God of Time" (Davis 231). Davis imagines that the temple once contained a terrifying image of Baal. A plan of the Dais, interpreted as the Temple of Saturn in the Carthage, is included facing page 177. The date of the watercolor (post-dating the Davis expedition, 1856-59) suggests Porcher was commissioned to return to the site to produce the watercolor for the publication.

Sketches of the ruins of Crendi exhibited by "Mr. Colnaghi" may have popularized the site as an artistic subject. (see Charles Newton, Gentleman's Magazine, July, 1852, 80).

After arriving at Carthage, Nathan Davis complains of the conditions of the two existing villages, Moalkah and Dowar-Eshutt: "irregular mass of hovels chiefly built of ancient materials". He begins digging at Carthage, and takes up residence at Dowar-Eshutt. The drawing was published in Davis's account as "Village of Dowar-Eshutt (Scene of the First Excavation)" (page 59).

Mounted on same card with "73. The Taenia or neck of land looking towards Utica, taken from the sand hills of Camart. February 9th, 1860."