This artwork addresses one of Cyprus’ gravest social problems: that of men emigrating overseas. After the end of World War II, Cyprus suffered a large economic crisis, which resulted in many Cypriots moving abroad – especially to the United Kingdom – in search of employment. The wave of emigration which occurred at the time involved mainly the male population, and its direct consequence was the emergence of numerous social problems. Women were now forced to take on a dual role, struggling for the survival of their family and patiently waiting for their relatives abroad to establish themselves financially and send money back home. When circumstances allowed it, the family members left behind would also emigrate to join up with their relatives.

In this painting in the A. G. Leventis Gallery Collection, a group of women and their children are gazing at a ship, which is taking away their husband, son or father, as it disappears over the horizon. The work’s subtitle, included in the catalogue of Michael Michaelides’ solo exhibition in 1955, informs us that this is the ship Proteus, which travelled to Australia. Michaelides was the first Cypriot painter who tackled social issues faced by Cyprus after World War II, shifting his interest from genre painting to subject matter marked by broader social concerns.