William Ware, a well-known British landscape painter, was born in London in 1915. He was hired by Greek Line to do the permanent on board murals for their liners OLYMPIA and ARKADIA (ex MONARCH OF BERMUDA). Most of Ware's work on the OLYMPIA survived throughout the ship's long life and was purchased by MidShipCentury when the ship went to Alang for scrapping in 2009. Ware passed away in 1994.



I fell in love with this painting the first time I saw it back in the late 1980s during my first visit to the ship when she was Commodore Cruise Line's MV CARIBE I. I used to go into the Library during my voyage on the ship in 1991 and sit and stare into this remarkable work of art, studying its composition and the artist's free flowing, textured style. I never imagined I would own this exquisite creation!



The Library was a wonderfully bizarre space with deep walnut paneling, this iconic painting and Edwardian style furnishings that belied the ship's 1953 origins. Part of what made the OLYMPIA so fascinating was her ecclectic collection of interior stylings that ran the gamut from Edwardian to Odeon and kitschy modern.

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Thankfully, the Library was kept locked up in the ship's latter years and this work was inaccessible to people who might enjoy damaging or carving their initials into it. After safe removal from the ship at Alang, It was well-packed and arrived in absolutely stunning condition -- so I thank my friends Kaushal and Bhagwan for a job well done! Alas, I have to sell this beautiful work and hope it will find a good home to be enjoyed for many more years to come.