Motonave Saturnia, Liguria 1956

This is one of a series of beautiful menu illustrations paying homage to the glories of the ‘spiagge d’ Italia’ (Italian beaches) and was featured on 1956 menus aboard the Italian ocean liner Saturnia.

The ship was launched in 1925. After serving as an Italian troop ship during WWII, the Saturnia was turned over the United States and became an Army hospital ship.

It was transformed again into military transport, carrying military dependents – 1,131 women and 371 children were on board for a single voyage.

In 1946, the ship was returned to Italian ownership and could carry 240 passengers in first class, 270 in second class and 860 in tourist class once it was refurbished.

Post-war voyages included sailingsto Italy, Gibraltar, Lisbon and Halifax in Canada.

An estimated 265,000 immigrants arrived in Canada and the U.S. from Europe aboard the Saturnia between 1946 and 1965.

Filmmaker Ferdinando Dell’Omo and partner Lilia Topouzova interviewed hundreds of Canadian-Italians who arrived by ship and made a documentary about its important role in immigration. The film was shown in Canada in 2012.

The Saturnia was scrapped in 1965.