There was not time to build more prisons so as a temporary measure some ships were converted into prison hulks. It was during the French Wars of 1793 to 1815 that the greatest use of hulks was made to accommodate prisoners of war. They included the artist Louis Garneray, who was captured from a French privateer and was one of a family of artists. He later wrote three popular autobiographies recounting his adventurous career as a sailor, sometime corsair, and an artist. After leaving home aged 13 to go to sea, he quickly discovered that captains wanted him to depict their brave deeds, which he did until he was captured by the English in 1806. From then until 1814 he was detained in the harbour at Portsmouth, imprisoned on various 'pontons' (prisons made from the hulks of captured and disabled French ships moored in the mud) but somehow managed to paint and sell his work for a pittance. This helped improve his conditions in captivity in the way that many other prisoners also did by making ship models or other handicrafts. He produced a larger version of this painting on canvas in 1814. When Napoleon abdicated, the British freed their prisoners and Garneray returned to Paris, continuing to work as an artist.