Explore maritime history with Thomas Luny's 1780 oil painting, 'A Packet Boat Under Sail in a Breeze off the South Foreland.' This piece captures a packet boat – essential to mail and passenger movement of the time – navigating off the English coast. Notice the strategic depiction of the South Foreland lighthouse, guiding sailors through the English Channel. Luny's work is a snapshot of the era's communication and travel, pivotal in an age of exploration and expansion.