Thomas Willis listed as having been born in Connecticut, there is ample evidence that he was born in Denmark and emigrated to CT as a young man. There are pervasive rumors that he lived and worked in New York City as a silk importer or a manufacturer of embroidery thread, which lead to his unique art form; however, his style and technique was fully developed while still living in Europe. Rumors aside, it is well documented that he worked prolifically creating portraits of yachts and steamers on commission for members of the American, New York and Corinthian Yacht Clubs, as well as others. His earliest work tended to be on plain colored silk backgrounds; soon his work featured oil painting on canvas backgrounds, thought to originally have been done for him by friends such as the renowned marine artist Antonio Jacobsen (who shared many of the same clients). It is believed that these artists taught Willis how to paint for himself, eventually becoming quite adept. As such, the painted backgrounds on Willis' work can vary from the still somewhat amateurish to the frankly sublime. He was, however, the only artist working in this unique medium and style, and his art is unmistakable and irrefutable.
Silk Embroidered Hand Painted Seascape by Thomas Willis, circa 1890
By Thomas Willis
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th century silk embroidered and hand painted oil on canvas seascape by Thomas Willis (1850 - 1925), depicting a schooner-rigged racing yacht closely ha...
Canvas, Silk
Lake George Vintage Photograph, circa 1910
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
An unusual photograph, circa 1910-1920 where the letters Lake George are made of cutout photographs. Original frame-really a unique object with character and timeless character. Lak...
Paper
Japanese Hanging Scroll, Hand-Painted Bamboo and Rabbit, Meiji, 1890
Located in New York, NY
A Japanese hanging scroll or Kakejiku, circa 1890, depicting bamboo grass and a rabbit, framed by top and bottom ribbons of brocade silk. In ...
Silk, Paper
$3,850 / set
H 16.75 in W 14.75 in D 2.75 in
English Pair of Autumn Hunting Scenes by William Manners, Oil on Board, 1890
Located in Morristown, NJ
William Manners (1860–1930), Pair of Autumn Hunting Scenes, 1890 There is a quiet stillness to these two small paintings. Painted in 1890 by British artist William Manners, each dep...
Giltwood, Paint
Hand Painted On Silk 19th Century Hand Held Fan; American, Circa 1890
Located in Incline Village, NV
Lovely American hand held fan; hand painted subject on silk with fancy mother of pearl sticks; each with silver sequins border trim. Done in the Victorian manner with the main subjec...
Mother-of-Pearl, Silk
English Embroidered Silk Panel Of A Parrot, Circa 1890
Located in Atlanta, GA
A finely executed antique embroidered silk panel depicting a parrot perched on a branching limb, rendered with strong decorative clarity and highly controlled stitchwork. The bird is...
Silk
Painting Naive Oil Four Cornish Lugger Spirit of Alfred Wallis
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Lugger in full sail riding a wave past a lighthouse with land on the horizon. Characterful naive picture in the spirit of Alfred Wallis. Provenance: Pa...
Other
$1,429Sale Price|20% Off
H 10.63 in W 13 in D 1.58 in
Antique Seascape Painting by Conrad Eilers, Around 1890
Located in Berlin, DE
Antique seascape painting by Conrad Eilers, around 1890. Oil on wood. Finely painted seascape probably East or North Sea. Signed by Conrad Eiler, ...
Wood
Painting Naive Oil Four Cornish Luggers Spirit of Alfred Wallis
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Four Cornish luggers with a lighthouse on the horizon Oil on cardboard Characterful naive picture in the spirit of Alfred Wallis Measures: Board len...
Other
19th Century Japanese Framed Hand-Painted on Silk
Located in Marbella, ES
19th century Japanese framed hand painted on Silk.
Silk, Wood
19th Century Oil on wood board by : Thomas hand
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Two beauties kids picking wood in the forest oil on wood painting by : Thomas HAND a British artist born in 1771 to 1804. The artist's works have gone up for sale at public auction...
Wood
"Shipping Off the Coast" by Thomas Luny
By Thomas Luny
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Shipping off the coast by English artist Thomas Luny. Oil on canvas signed and dated 35' in the lower left. Nice period and possibly original frame. Thomas Luny (1759–1837), born in Cornwall, probably at St Ewe, was an English artist and painter, mostly of seascapes and other marine-based works. At the age of eleven, Luny left Cornwall to live in London. There he became the apprentice of Francis Holman, a marine painter who would have a great and long lasting artistic influence on Luny: Luny remained until 1780 in Holman's London studio, which, was first situated in Broad Street, St. George's, and later relocated to Old Gravel Lane. Examples of his work are exhibited at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, and at The Mariners' Museum in Newport...
Paint
Carved and Painted Tuna Fish Trade Sign
Located in Norwell, MA
Expertly carved trade sign reminiscent of those that used to hand in the large waterfront fish piers in England. This tuna has been authentically painted, fitted with iron hanging bo...
Wood
Sold
H 23.5 in W 29.5 in D 4.25 in
19th C. Silk Embroidered and Hand Painted Seascape by Thomas Willis
By Thomas Willis
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th century silk embroidered and hand painted oil on canvas seascape by Thomas Willis (1850 - 1925), depicting the schooner-rigged racing yacht MARION W...
Canvas, Silk
Thomas Willis Silk Embroidered Yacht Seascape, circa 1890
By Thomas Willis
Located in Nantucket, MA
Antique silk embroidered yacht portrait by Thomas Willis (1850-1925), depicting the schooner-rigged racing yacht America, the winner of the 1851 America'...
Canvas, Silk
Silk Mounted Oil on Canvas Seascape by Thomas Willis, circa 1880
By Thomas Willis
Located in Nantucket, MA
Silk mounted and embroidered portrait of a Schooner-Rigged Yacht, hand tied onto an oil on canvas Seascape, by Thomas Willis (Danish-American: circa 1850...
Canvas, Silk