Unknown

Rounding the Mark

Circa 1920's

The most important maritime center in the 19th century, Liverpool, had many advantages. Located on the England-facing west coast of the Irish Sea, the Mersey approach was wide, deep and actively associated with all aspects of shipping. It also faced northwest, as the distressed fleet in Witham's work has discovered on a stormy February 8, 1881. To the rescue of the 12 ships, the Pilot Schooner No.2, LEADER, signals the fleet to follow, using the pre-1900 commercial code signals "l w c". She has waited for the rising tide and keeps the line tight to the red starboard buoy, Q1, which marks the beginning of the Queen's Channel. Within a span of hours, all twelve ships were led successfully to their docks. Witham painted the scene in conjunction with the great acclaim the Pilots received in 1881, and it became so popular that he painted additional works marking the event over time. His local contemporary, Samuel Walters...

Period yacht racing is a rare and desirable subject for marine paintings, and a 19th century work from Australia of this prime subject is among the rarest finds we may offer. The artist, Charles F. Gerrard, shows up in 1882 on the Sydney professional trade list as a painter, then as a marine artist and finally as simply 'artist'. He exhibits his first works with the Royal Art Society in Sydney in 1884, consisting of coastal scenes. He is extremely well received by his contemporaries according to newspaper reports. The recognizable features of "The Rocks", along the western shore of Sydney cove near the harbor bridge, stands forth as a superb background for the racing yachts. This historic location is the foundation of the British Australian empire, and today is the oldest preserved colonial district in the country, described as "Sydney's outdoor museum". Fine-lined cutter yachts compete over a sailing course, with two shown in great close detail while five more hold their positions in the regatta, as the rhythmic small swells are evidence the wind favors the leaders running on close reaches with the crossing tide. The crew and yachts are very much in the British formal yachting manner, with full uniforms and the plum-bow hulls. Note that there is one crew attired in red, possibly a naval marine team, and the sail steam ship anchored in the center flies the Australian Colonial...

In this painting, I aimed to capture the dynamic interplay of light on water, using a blend of acrylic and oil to create texture and depth. I employed expressionism to convey the emo...

In this painting, I've melded acrylic and oil to capture the ephemeral beauty of a seascape bathed in the soft glow of twilight. The gentle undulations of the sea and the serene sail...