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Francis Draper Jr.
Labrador - Seascape - oil on canvas circa 1885 Canada

1885

$3,900
£2,945.12
€3,371.90
CA$5,507.82
A$6,013.22
CHF 3,152.49
MX$73,032.88
NOK 39,369.41
SEK 37,175.22
DKK 25,167.61

About the Item

This evocative seascape by Francis Draper Jr. depicts the austere and rugged coastline of Labrador. A rocky formation dominates the horizon, rendered in earthy browns and deep shadows, while the sea churns below, its spray captured in energetic touches of white and blue. The restrained palette and textured handling of the sky evoke the cool, raw atmosphere of the North Atlantic, while the intimate square format (9 x 9 inches) underscores the immediacy of the artist’s vision. Painted circa 1885, the work reflects both Draper’s early training in Boston and his engagement with the broader 19th-century Romantic landscape tradition, in which nature was depicted as sublime, remote, and untamed. The choice of Labrador as subject matter was unusual, offering a striking alternative to the more familiar coastal imagery of New England. In this sense, Draper’s painting aligns with the exploratory spirit of American artists of the period, who sought out landscapes beyond the settled and picturesque. Francis Draper Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1861. He studied at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and established himself as a painter of landscapes and coastal views. Draper was a member of the Boston Art Club and remained active in Massachusetts—particularly in Wakefield—before relocating to Santa Barbara, California, in 1915. He lived there until his death in 1935. His work, though relatively scarce, bridges East Coast academic training with a lifelong fascination for the sea and landscape subjects. While Draper’s oeuvre remains less documented than those of his contemporaries, his paintings reflect a sensitivity to both atmospheric nuance and the structural presence of natural forms. This Coast of Labrador canvas demonstrates the artist’s awareness of American marine painters such as William Trost Richards and John Frederick Kensett, whose depictions of the Atlantic coast balanced observation with poetic mood. Unlike the monumental canvases of the Hudson River School, Draper’s work here suggests the intimacy of a cabinet picture or painter’s sketch, an immediate, personal encounter with the wild northern coast. This painting is not only an early example of Draper’s coastal imagery but also a rare 19th-century American artistic record of Labrador, situating him within the larger narrative of maritime and landscape painting in the post-Hudson River School era. Francis Draper Jr. (American, 1861–1935) Coast of Labrador, circa 1885 Oil on canvas 9 x 9 in. (22.9 x 22.9 cm) Estate stamp on verso
  • Creator:
    Francis Draper Jr. (1861 - 1935, American)
  • Creation Year:
    1885
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Width: 9 in (22.86 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    NonePrice: $5,000
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    In very fine, age appropriate condition.
  • Gallery Location:
    Rancho Santa Fe, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU516316963942

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