The Coast & the Sea: Marine and Maritime Art in America
Organized by the New-York Historical Society
View of a Seaport
Artist: Unidentified Artist
ca 1760
Oil on canvas; 27 x 48 in.
New York Historical Society. 1855.1. Gift of
John MacGregor
Cleveley was a British marine painter whose view of a small port city is thought to be an
image of Harwich in Essex, on the east coast of England. The artist situated his carefully
detailed harbor view, shipyard, and sailing vessels within a convincing envelope of
coastal weather conditions. These visual conventions had been largely invented in
seventeenth-century Holland. Dutch maritime masters in turn founded a British school
of marine painting whose influence would be transmitted to England’s colonies in North
America.
Marine View
Artist: Thomas Birch
1835
Oil on canvas; 3/4 × 25 × 36 in.
New York Historical Society. 1858.13. Gift of The
New York Gallery of the Fine Arts
Birch was an early nineteenth-century Philadelphia painter of seascapes. He mastered
the Anglo-Dutch manner and is generally recognized as the first American marine
specialist. This gifted painter deftly amalgamated the atmospherics and marine vistas
identified with marine painting and the attention to nautical detail associated with the
maritime tradition. His masterful and romantic "Marine View" demonstrates these
skills. The sweeping seascape in the distance under a convincing sky and a foreground is
populated by carefully rendered nautical types and maritime paraphernalia.
Elisha Kent Kane, M.D. (1820-1857)
Artist: Thomas Hicks
1858
Oil on canvas; 42 x 51 in.
New York Historical Society. 1859.1. Gift of several
ladies of New York
The Northwest Passage, a series of Arctic waterways connecting the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans, was sought for centuries by European and American explorers as a possible
trade route to Asia. In the 1850s Elisha Kent Kane, a Philadelphia naval surgeon, joined
two American Arctic expeditions searching for the British exploring party of Sir John
Franklin that had disappeared in 1845. His best-selling memoirs about those perilous
expeditions made him a hero, and his premature death in 1857 was widely mourned.
This memorial portrait portrays Kane as a thoughtful figure seated before a twilit ocean
view. The anchored ship and a globe refer to far-flung voyages, while the table covered
with books, charts, and documents signifies Kane’s role as official historian of the
expedition.
Stephen Decatur (1779 1820)
Artist: Rembrandt Peale
c. 1815-1820
Oil on canvas; 29 x 23 5/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1867.309. Gift of Thomas
Jefferson Bryan
The War of 1812 expanded the Revolutionary portrait pantheon, and a new generation
of American heroes joined the founding fathers and patriots of the Revolution. Portraits
of naval commanders were in demand, as were paintings of their ships and battles.
Rembrandt Peale, whose father, Charles Willson Peale, had portrayed the founding
fathers, painted a series of naval heroes including Commodore Stephen Decatur. Peale’s
romantic bust-length portrait presents the naval hero as both a dashing figure and a
commanding martial presence. Gazing into the distance, resplendent in his dress
uniform, Decatur is posed in a timeless setting before a stormy sky whose dramatic
clouds also evoke the smoke and turbulence of battle.
Captain John Waddell (1714-1762)
Artist: John Wollaston
c. 1750
Oil on canvas; 36 × 28 in.
New York Historical Society. 1891.2. Gift of Edmund B.
Southwick
Captain Waddell gazes confidently out of his dignified portrait by Wollaston, a Londontrained artist who arrived in 1749 to paint the wealthy merchants of New York.
Portrayed at home, bewigged and elegantly dressed, Waddell shares the foreground of
his portrait with a large globe toward which he gestures, calling our attention to the farflung voyages of the ships he had built and owned. His right index finger points to the
eastern seaboard of North America. Settling in New York in 1736, he married,
prospered, and founded a merchant dynasty in the thriving colonial outpost.
David Abeel (1763-1840)
Artist: Unidentified Artist
c. 1795-1800
Oil on canvas; 30 x 25 in.
New York Historical Society. 1896.53. Gift of George Abeel
Two lively portraits painted around 1800 by unknown artists of modest training portray
seafaring American citizens. David Abeel had served as a midshipman on the frigate
"Alliance" during the Revolutionary War and later became captain of a merchant vessel.
Abeel is shown before a view of the open sea wearing the dark blue coat with gold
buttons typical of a ship’s officer. He holds dividers in his right hand while unrolling a
chart with his left, as if plotting a course. Behind him sails a three-masted vessel flying
an American flag and commissioning pennants.
A marine view and nautical attributes served another unidentified artist as the proper
setting to record the handsome features of a young man said to be Captain David Bush,
who served in the War of 1812. He wields a mariner’s telescope, or spyglass, while
posing before a sprightly seascape to signal maritime enterprises.
Preserved Fish (1766 - 1846)
Artist: Unidentified Artist
c. 1830
Oil on canvas; 41 1/4 × 33 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1900.4. Gift of the Tradesmen's
Bank of New York
True to his name, Preserved Fish, who was descended from early New Englanders,
found his career on the sea, a memoir of which is included in this attractive, although
unattributed portrait of the gray-haired gentleman. By age twenty-one, he had been
master of his own whaling ship and soon after established a successful whale oil
business in New Bedford, Massachusetts. By 1815 Fish had relocated and was well
established as a leading merchant in New York City. He is portrayed seated in a
handsomely furnished chamber with the implements of his trade. Holding a telescope
with which to watch his many ships coming into New York Harbor, Fish rests his left
hand on a marine chart. Through the window is a maritime vista of two ships in pursuit
of a spouting whale, a testimonial to the original source of his wealth.
A Southeast Prospect of the City of New York
Artist: Unidentified Artist
c. 1756 - 1761
Oil on canvas, lined to fiberglass; 38 x 72 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1904.1. Gift of Cornelia LeRoy
White, in the name of Goldsborough Banyer
"A Southeast Prospect" charts the setting of New York City’s waterfront as well as the
busy shipping on the East River. Landmarks include the Battery at the far left and
Trinity Church in the center. Tiny figures populate the city and vessels. Most exciting are
the magnificent ships anchored in the East River; their presence signals international
enterprise as well as the naval might that secured the colonial outpost of New York as
part of the British Empire. The bold display of flags and banners flown by this armada
also alerts us to the symbolic power of these ships as compelling images of military
strength, mercantile prowess, and national patrimony.
Escape of the U.S. Frigate “Constitution,” July 1812
Artist: Thomas Birch
1838
Oil on canvas; 25 1/8 x 35 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1908.5. Bequest of Matilda
Wolfe Bruce
The American demand for naval images from the War of 1812 would secure Birch’s
reputation as the first homegrown marine specialist. His mastery of the Anglo-Dutch
marine tradition was demonstrated in spirited portrayals of successful American naval
engagements such as the daring escape of the USS "Constitution" from the British fleet
early in the War of 1812. One of the original six frigates that formed the United States
Navy and named by George Washington, the "Constitution" encountered a British
squadron, which gave chase off the coast of New Jersey. With skillful seamanship,
Captain Isaac Hull kept the "Constitution" (seen at the left) ahead of the British for two
days, even towing his ship after the breeze died down and eventually escaping with a
favorable wind. The "Constitution’s" later battles earned her the nickname “Old
Ironsides.”
View from Hyde Park on the Hudson River
Artist: Victor de Grailly
c. 1845
Oil on canvas; 21 1/4 x 28 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1923.5. Museum
Purchase
Hyde Park, north of Poughkeepsie, draws its name from one of the riverside estates
originally named in honor of Sir Edward Hyde, a royal governor of New York. De
Grailly’s picturesque composition, also based on "American Scenery", emphasizes the
breadth of the river and the park-like promenade in the foreground and suppresses any
sense of the Hudson as a commercial artery. This is in keeping with Hyde Park’s long
history as an elegant preserve for the country houses of New York’s oldest elite families.
Today, the village is still an important destination as the home of the Franklin D.
Roosevelt National Historic Site.
Kosciuszko's Monument, West Point
Artist: Victor de Grailly
c. 1845
Oil on canvas; 23 1/4 x 28 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1923.6. Museum
Purchase
The Hudson Highlands are the most dramatic passage in the river’s course, forming
spectacular vistas that also evoked historical associations. The United States Military
Academy at West Point is on the west side, as are the ruins of Fort Putnam, a relic of the
Revolutionary War. West Point is still a popular touring destination rich with history
made visible, not only in the academy’s architecture and strategic setting on a
promontory above the river but also in its many monuments. This detailed view by a
French artist whose paintings are based on engravings published in "American Scenery",
a best-selling book of the 1840s, records the neoclassical memorial situated high above
the river that was dedicated to the Polish patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who served in
the Revolutionary army of George Washington.
Steamboat "Cayuga"
Artist: James Bard
1849
Oil on canvas; 29 × 49 1/8 × 1 1/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1924.113. Museum
Purchase
Tourists boarded luxurious steamboats in New York City, stopping along the Hudson
River at destinations known for beautiful scenery and historic sites. James Bard,
originally in partnership with his twin brother, John, devoted a long and productive
career to providing owners with portraits of their steamboats that plied the Hudson and
coastal waters. Bard’s attention to detail and proportion was such it has been claimed
that shipbuilders swore they could use these paintings to lay down the plans for these
so-called floating palaces. Many vessels bore evocative names like the "Cayuga", after a
New York State Indian tribe, and offered travelers the combined benefits of comfort and
high speed.
Capture of HMS “Macedonian” by the U.S.
Frigate “United States,” October 1812
Artist: Unidentified Artist
c. 1813
Oil on canvas; 34 3/8 x 45 1/2 x 7/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1925.112. Gift of Naval
History Society Collection
An unknown artist depended on an engraving after one of Birch’s celebrated battle
subjects to record one of the most famous naval exploits of the War of 1812. Early in the
war, the British frigate "Macedonian" was captured by the "United States", commanded
by Captain Stephen Decatur. The ninety-minute action between the two vessels took
place in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles west of the Canary Islands on October
25, 1812. The British prize was transported to Newport, Rhode Island, early in
December 1812 and then moved to New York. The "Macedonian" was the first captured
British frigate that was taken to the United States; the engagement was a cause for
patriotic celebration and commemoration by Birch and others.
Engagement between the U.S. Frigate
“Constitution” and HMS “Guerriere” August
1812
Artist: Carlton Theodore Chapman
1895
Oil on canvas; 29 1/4 x 35 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1925.113. The Naval
History Society Collection (John Sanford Barnes
Foundation)
Chapman’s reputation as the Gilded Age’s “foremost painter” of historic naval vessels
and warfare was secured by a commission to provide 21 paintings to illustrate naval
historian James Barnes’s popular "Naval Actions of the War of 1812" (1896). The battle
shown here was an important American victory early in the War of 1812. The victorious
"Constitution", in profile on the horizon, approaches after the battle is over and seems
wholly intact but for damaged sails. This encounter would earn the American warship
the now-legendary nickname “Old Ironsides.” She towers majestically over the
devastated British vessel lying in the middle ground. An American boat approaches at
the left to receive the British commander’s surrender.
Engagement Between the U.S. Frigate
"Constitution" and H.M.S. "Java" December
1812
Artist: Carlton Theodore Chapman
1896
Oil on canvas; 24 x 36 in.
New York Historical Society. 1925.114. The Naval
History Society Collection (John Sanford Barnes
Foundation)
These stirring works were inspired by the commemorations surrounding the 1897
centennial of the commissioning of the "Constitution". Long berthed in England, the
historic vessel was returned under tow to the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, where
she remains. Chapman vividly reimagined the engagement of the "Constitution" and
"Java" as a pair of cinematic before-and-after marine paintings. The first installment
shows the two-hour battle well under way, with the ships exchanging fire and after the
"Java" has already lost two masts. One sail hangs useless and the other trails in the
water. Smoke rising from the decks suggests that the "Java" is already aflame. In the
second painting, the battle is over. The defeated and destroyed "Java" is burning in the
foreground while a rescue operation is carried out before she is sunk. British survivors
are being taken to the victorious American frigate, a dramatic silhouette on the horizon
poised against a fiery sunset reflected in the waves and echoed in the blazing bulk of the
"Java".
Engagement between the U.S. Frigate
"Constitution" and H.M.S. "Java", December
1812
Artist: Carlton Theodore Chapman
1897
Oil on canvas; 24 x 36 in.
New York Historical Society. 1925.115. The Naval
History Society Collection (John Sanford Barnes
Foundation)
These stirring works were inspired by the commemorations surrounding the 1897
centennial of the commissioning of the "Constitution". Long berthed in England, the
historic vessel was returned under tow to the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, where
she remains. Chapman vividly reimagined the engagement of the "Constitution" and
"Java" as a pair of cinematic before-and-after marine paintings. The first installment
shows the two-hour battle well under way, with the ships exchanging fire and after the
"Java" has already lost two masts. One sail hangs useless and the other trails in the
water. Smoke rising from the decks suggests that the "Java" is already aflame. In the
second painting, the battle is over. The defeated and destroyed "Java" is burning in the
foreground while a rescue operation is carried out before she is sunk. British survivors
are being taken to the victorious American frigate, a dramatic silhouette on the horizon
poised against a fiery sunset reflected in the waves and echoed in the blazing bulk of the
"Java".
Hevlyn Benson (1805-1858)
Attributed to : Lamqua
c. 1840 - 1845
Oil on canvas; 11 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1933.2. Gift of Hevlyn D.
Benson
The United States established trade relations with China in 1784, when the first
American merchant vessel sailed from New York to Canton. This lively commerce
generated schools of Chinese artists who provided foreign mariners with images of
themselves and their vessels. This small portrait records the features of Hevlyn Benson
who, according to family tradition, made many successful voyages to China aboard the
"Morrison", one of the fastest ships of her time. The artist may be Lamqua, a prolific
painter in the Western style working in Canton; the elaborate frame is also of Chinese
production. Benson is portrayed as a well-dressed gentleman at leisure seated before a
window. On the table at his left is a mariner’s spyglass; the harbor view beyond shows a
ship at anchor, undoubtedly the "Morrison".
New York Harbor
Artist: Edward Moran
c. 1880
Oil on canvas; 18 x 24 in.
New York Historical Society. 1935.71. Museum
Purchase
Edward was the equally talented brother of the better-known Thomas Moran. His relish
for marine painting is evident in this view looking north toward the Battery in which he
captures the bustle of the harbor, as steamships, tugboats, fishing trawlers, and pleasure
boats appear to collide in their attempt to share the crowded waters of the upper bay.
The smoking tugboat in the foreground tows a pair of lighters or barges, freed of their
cargo; drying laundry on one adds a picturesque domestic note. Restless waters churn in
the immediate foreground, demonstrating Moran’s acclaimed skill in depicting the mass
and motion of these ever-changing reflective surfaces.
Battle of Port Hudson, March 14, 1863
Artist: Julian Oliver Davidson
c. 1886
Oil on canvas; 15 5/8 x 22 in.
New York Historical Society. 1936.801. Gift of the
Naval History Society
These two exciting reenactments of Civil War naval engagements were painted by
Davidson for a still-famous suite of 18 chromolithographs issued in the later 1880s titled
"Prang’s War Pictures". This meticulously painted battle scene documents an episode
during the Union campaigns to secure control of the Mississippi River. From
fortifications on the steep bluffs beside Port Hudson, Confederate forces fire on the fleet
of ships below, commanded by Admiral David Farragut, attempting to run past the
batteries under cover of darkness. Our perspective from the high bluffs conveys the
confusion and visual drama of a night battle as fiery artillery bursts and smoke obscure
much of the river below.
Battle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864
Artist: Julian Oliver Davidson
1886
Oil on canvas; 15 5/8 x 21 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1936.802. Gift of the
Naval History Society
Davidson’s panoramic view of the gulf coast at dawn shows the battle formation of
Union warships and ironclads, all under Admiral Farragut’s command, exchanging fire
with the defenders of Fort Morgan and with Confederate gunboats and ironclads. The
artist documented the decisive point in the battle when a Union ironclad in the middle
distance is exploding and sinking quickly after striking a mine. The attackers are in
momentary disarray, and Confederate forces press their advantage by delivering a
powerful barrage of fire on the invaders. The outcome was uncertain until Farragut
sailed forward to lead the fleet to victory, issuing his now-legendary command: “Damn
the torpedoes! Go ahead full speed!”
Snuffbox
Artist: Unidentified Artist
c. 1816
Brass, tin; 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1937.66. Gift of Bernard Cone
Object number: L.TCTS.2014.1937.66
Many snuff boxes made for the American market during and after the War of 1812
featured portraits of naval officers and images of American naval victories; both were
usually based upon popular prints. The flat round lid of a papier-mâché snuffbox
presents a miniature battle-piece of the famous encounter between the USS
"Constitution" and the HMS "Guerriere". Carlton Chapman’s later painting of that battle
is on display in the exhibition. Stephen Decatur’s celebrity as a national hero inspired
mass media images of his likeness, seen here as applied to the rectangular brass
snuffbox where the victorious Commodore appears as a die-stamped bust in relief.
Rembrandt Peale’s handsome portrait of Decatur is also on view nearby.
The East River
Artist: Carlton Theodore Chapman
1904
Oil on canvas; 17 x 35 in.
New York Historical Society. 1938.425. Gift of Mrs.
Carlton T. Chapman
The Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, spanning the East River and connecting
the cities of New York and Brooklyn. A spectacular feat of modern American
engineering, John Augustus Roebling’s suspension bridge is supported by a pair of
towers whose soaring Gothic arches also nod to the Old World. The artist enlists the
bridge as an organizing picturesque element to assert a visual experience of New York
City (and Brooklyn) as a maritime environment. The Brooklyn Bridge frames a
panoramic vista of the breezy, busy harbor, capturing in 1904 a view that is still today
the classic image of modern twin cities on the edge of the Atlantic.
Sinking of the "Ville du Havre", November 22,
1873
Artist: Wesley Webber
c. 1874
Oil on canvas; 24 x 40 in.
New York Historical Society. 1938.437. Museum
Purchase
Webber is little known today, but his dramatic painting graphically details a famous
marine disaster. En route from New York to France, the "Ville du Havre" collided with
the Scottish iron clipper "Loch Earn", sinking in twelve minutes with the loss of 226
lives; only 87 people survived. Webber re-created a detailed bird’s-eye view of the final
minutes of the "Ville du Havre" and many of her passengers. The painting is moderate in
scale but depicts the vast nocturnal mid-Atlantic under a starry sky. The dark ocean is
illuminated only by the catastrophe itself, as flames from the stacks of the doomed ship
cast a lurid glow over crowds of passengers struggling amid the wreckage on the decks
and in the dark waters near the half-submerged ship. The clipper appears at the left as a
dark silhouette.
New York Harbor and the Battery
Artist: Andrew Melrose
1885
Oil on canvas; 22 x 36 in.
New York Historical Society. 1939.585. Museum
Purchase, James B. Wilbur Fund
The artist combines landscape and genre in his portrayal of Castle Garden as a prominent
feature of his animated view of the park on the Battery and the busy port beyond. By 1885
landfill had connected the formerly water-bound structure to Manhattan Island. Well positioned
right on the harbor, the old fort had been used for several decades as an immigration center. The
foreground promenade provides a sunny stage for fashionable New Yorkers out for a stroll, as
well as recent arrivals to Castle Garden with their bundles and boxes. The site would be turned
over to New York City in 1890 and converted to an aquarium in 1896. Today the restored fort
can be visited as Castle Clinton, a national historic site.
Octant and Case
Artist: Cary, London
1850 - 1870
Oak, brass, ebony, bone and paint; 13 x 11 3/4 x 4 in. case; 12 x
10 x 4 in. octant
New York Historical Society. 1939.504ab. Gift of George A.
Zabriskie
The octant is a reflecting navigational instrument to
measure the degree of altitude of heavenly bodies in the
calculation of longitude. The handsome oak case for this
important implement is decorated with an image
thought to represent Jenny Lind, the internationally
famous Swedish opera singer known as the “Swedish
Nightingale.”
Ship's Lantern
Artist: William Porter's Sons
1877
Brass, glass and cotton; 10 1/2 x 7 3/8 x 7 in.
New York Historical Society. 1941.821. Museum Purchase,
James B. Wilbur Fund
This ship’s lantern is said to be from the steamboat "Saratoga"
(1877-1919). The inscription on the glass shade: “A Parsell,
Steamer Saratoga” suggests that the lantern was intended as a
presentation piece of a type awarded to ship’s officers upon
retirement or transfer.
Presentation Soup Tureen
Artist: Simon Chaudron
1816
Silver; 16 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1942.544ab. The Eugene H. Pool
Collection of Captain James Lawrence, Gift of Dr. Eugene H.
Pool
This large and elaborate tureen, adorned with Athena as the
cover finial and cast foliate handles with Neptune-mask
terminals, was presented posthumously by citizens of
Philadelphia to Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813) for
heroic actions during the War of 1812. He commanded ships
off the coasts of South America and Halifax and gained
acclaim for leading the USS "Hornet’s" legendary attack on
the British HMS "Peacock" on February 24, 1813. Only few
months later, Lawrence died while commanding the
"Chesapeake" during battle with the HMS "Shannon". His
supposed last words, to be immortalized as the Navy’s battle
cry: “Don’t give up the ship,” are inscribed on James Guy
Evans’s painting nearby
Ship in a Storm
Artist: Thomas Birch
1841
Oil on canvas; 3/4 × 18 × 27 1/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1945.451. Gift of Mrs.
Louis A. Gillet
As American’s best-known early marine painter, Birch was able to portray a wide range of
maritime subject matter. He moved easily from battle subjects and harbor views to romantic
seascapes like "Ship in a Storm" that explore the perils of the sea. Here, the unseen crew of a
brig struggles to maintain control of their ship, perhaps already aground in the heavy-weather
gale that drives the rough sea to break in huge waves against massive boulders and hidden
ledges of the lee shore. The ship itself is the major actor in a drama of the elements. Nature is
the adversary.
Hong Kong Island, Victoria Peak and the
Harbor, Painted from Kowloon
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1850
Oil on canvas; 7 x 10 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1946.80. Gift of Alice
Temple Parkin
The China trade created a vast commercial maritime network between the West and certain
Chinese ports. Local artists also provided merchants and mariners with Western-style views of
harbors and factories. The famous Canton factories did not actually manufacture goods. Instead,
these waterfront buildings served as trading quarters for international commerce. The flags of
five nations indicate Canton’s importance in the global maritime commerce of the midnineteenth century. A medley of exotic Chinese vessels pass by on the Pearl River including, at
the far right, one of the famous Canton floating brothels called “flower boats.” A matching
panoramic vista of Hong Kong harbor viewed from Kowloon features Western sailing ships and
steamboats. By 1850 this busy port was already a British Crown colony.
Factories at Canton (from the Harbor), China
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1850
Oil on canvas; 6 7/8 x 10 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1946.82. Gift of Alice
Temple Parkin
The China trade created a vast commercial maritime network between the West and certain
Chinese ports. Local artists also provided merchants and mariners with Western-style views of
harbors and factories. The famous Canton factories did not actually manufacture goods. Instead,
these waterfront buildings served as trading quarters for international commerce. The flags of
five nations indicate Canton’s importance in the global maritime commerce of the midnineteenth century. A medley of exotic Chinese vessels pass by on the Pearl River including, at
the far right, one of the famous Canton floating brothels called “flower boats.” A matching
panoramic vista of Hong Kong harbor viewed from Kowloon features Western sailing ships and
steamboats. By 1850 this busy port was already a British Crown colony.
View of Hudson River from Tarrytown
Heights
Artist: Robert Havell Jr.
c. 1842
Oil on canvas; 22 × 30 in.
New York Historical Society. 1946.179. Gift of Harry
Peck Havell
Havell was an English artist who worked with John James Audubon on "The Birds of America"
(1827–38). He later immigrated, settling on the banks of the Hudson River. Here he portrays
the broad estuary from Tarrytown Heights, one of the river’s widest points, where sailing craft
and steamboats populate the Tappan Zee. While the busy river carried maritime traffic of all
kinds, the Hudson’s banks provided magnificent views for cottages and villas, signaling the
rapid development of the upper Hudson as a suburb for New York City. A charming yellow
country house on the east bank, with its surrounding gardens, is featured in the foreground.
Schooner "Lewis R. Mackey"
Artist: James Bard
1854
Oil on canvas; 33 1/4 x 52 1/8 x 1 in.
New York Historical Society. 1947.66. Gift of George A.
Zabriskie
Bard’s delightful painting shows a typical Hudson River schooner sailing on the wide expanse of
Haverstraw Bay with flags and pennants flying, and in the company of sporting dolphins. In
1866 a famous Hudson River guidebook described the fauna of Haverstraw Bay just north of the
Tappan Zee: “Here the fresh and salt water usually contend most equally for the mastery; and
here the porpoise, a sea-water fish, is often seen in large number, sporting in the summer sun.”
This vessel was likely not a pleasure craft but a working boat that carried cargo to New York
from the brickworks at Haverstraw, reminding us that the Hudson River served many extractive
industries in the region and was then, as now, an important commercial as well as a recreational
waterway.
A Privateersman Ashore
Artist: Howard Pyle
1893
Oil on Russell's canvas board; 1/16 × 18 7/8 × 12 in.
New York Historical Society. 1948.28. Gift of George A. Zabriskie
A gifted and prolific artist-illustrator, Pyle was well known for his
depictions of American historical subjects. This striking grisaille
painting was created for an article about the history of New York in
"Harper’s New Monthly Magazine". It is full of historically accurate
details with which he re-creates the Battery and Castle Clinton at the
time of the War of 1812 as the setting for the audacious privateer who
postures in the foreground. Taking his cue from the article, Pyle
portrays a strutting freebooter in jaunty quasi-naval attire,
confronting us boldly while more sober citizens observe their exotic
visitor from a safe distance. Their attitudes suggest the ambivalence
attached to these raiders who operated on the margins of maritime
law at sea and polite society ashore.
Yacht "America"
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1851
Oil on canvas; 22 1/8 x 30 1/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1949.47. Gift of Henry O.
Havemeyer
As the era of swift sailing ships waned and steam power came to dominate maritime commerce
(and warfare), yacht racing emerged as a major international sport in contests of nautical skills
that continue today. Thus, speed under sail would continue to play an important role in
maritime realms but now was driven more by sporting competition than by commercial gain. A
spirited portrait by an unknown artist portrays the famous racing yacht "America", which first
captured the British Royal Yacht Squadron’s trophy in 1851. Afterward known as the America’s
Cup, the trophy was in the keeping of the New York Yacht Club from 1851 until 1983.
Forcing The Hudson River Passage, October 9,
1776
Artist: William Joy
c. 1835
Oil on canvas; 28 1/2 x 46 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1951.69. Gift of the
Travelers Insurance Company
One of the most dramatic images of naval combat during the Revolutionary War was
commissioned in England to celebrate an important British victory, when British ships broke
through the American defenses at what is today Washington Heights to gain command of the
Hudson River. Three British frigates, HMS "Tartar', "Roebuck", and "Phoenix", accompanied by
two smaller vessels, sail boldly through the wooden barriers set up in the channel on the New
York side of the river. Clouds of smoke rise as the squadron is attacked by American batteries at
Fort Constitution on the summit of the Palisades, in New Jersey, and from Fort Washington on
the New York side.
Mrs. Daniel Truman and Child
Attributed to : Reuben Moulthrop
c. 1798 - 1810
Oil on canvas; 38 3/4 x 37 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1951.69. Museum Purchase
Mrs. Truman and her winsome little girl holding flowers
embody the domestic side of maritime life. In their
portrait, mother and child are shown at home on Fair
Street in New Haven, Connecticut. They are seated near
an open door through which we glimpse a tidy garden
bounded by a white fence. Beyond lies a distant view of
the New Haven harbor with several ships at anchor. The
figure standing at the garden gate looking out to sea is
said to be her husband, Daniel, who was a ship’s captain.
Spyglass
Artist: Spencer Browning & Rust
c. 1800 - 1810
Brass, wood and glass; 15 5/8 x 2 1/2 in.
New York Historical Society. 1956.165. Gift of Mrs. Bayard
Verplanck
The small handheld telescope, known as a spyglass or glass, has
long been an indispensable nautical instrument used to survey
ocean expanses and the heavens alike. Not surprisingly, this
implement appears as an attribute in many mariners’ portraits
including several on display here.
James Gordon Bennett, Jr. (1841-1918)
Artist: Alexis-Joseph Pérignon
1867
Oil on canvas; 51 1/4 x 38 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1957.80. Gift of Mrs. Arthur S.
Grossman
Yacht racing was championed by wealthy sportsmen like James
Gordon Bennett Jr., shown here in a fashionable nautical
portrait of 1867 painted in Paris, perhaps to mark his election
that year as vice commodore of the New York Yacht Club. In
1867 Bennett also took over as publisher of the "New York
Herald" when his father retired. The elegant young man is in
naval uniform (he had served during the Civil War), seated
before an expanse of sea and sky on the open deck of his yacht,
"Henrietta", in which he had won a celebrated transatlantic race
just the year before. Flamboyant and eccentric, Bennett enjoyed
a successful and, at times, notorious career as an international
newspaper publisher, continuing to pursue his lifelong passion
for sailing.
Captain David Bush
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1812
Oil on canvas; 26 × 21 5/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1963.48. Bequest of Irving S. Olds
Two lively portraits painted around 1800 by unknown artists of
modest training portray seafaring American citizens. David
Abeel had served as a midshipman on the frigate "Alliance"
during the Revolutionary War and later became captain of a
merchant vessel. Abeel is shown before a view of the open sea
wearing the dark blue coat with gold buttons typical of a ship’s
officer. He holds dividers in his right hand while unrolling a
chart with his left, as if plotting a course. Behind him sails a
three-masted vessel flying an American flag and commissioning pennants.
A marine view and nautical attributes served another unidentified artist as the proper setting to
record the handsome features of a young man said to be Captain David Bush, who served in the
War of 1812. He wields a mariner’s telescope, or spyglass, while posing before a sprightly
seascape to signal maritime enterprises.
Escape of HMS “Belvidera” from the U.S.
Frigate “President,” June 1812
Artist: Thomas Buttersworth
c. 1815
Oil on canvas; 16 x 22 in.
New York Historical Society. 1963.58. Bequest of
Irving S. Olds
During the War of 1812, the English marine painter Thomas Buttersworth addressed both
American and British audiences with his portrayals of key naval engagements on the high seas
between the United States and Great Britain. This brilliant little battle painting is one of a pair
and portrays the American navy on the attack. Three days after war was declared on June 18,
1812, an American squadron put to sea. On June 23, it sighted the British frigate, gave chase,
and a long, running fight ensued before the "Belvidera" escaped. The "President" is seen at the
right exchanging fire with the "Belvidera". The darkening sky enhances the drama of cannon fire
and billowing smoke of battle as the two ships fire broadsides at each other and cannonballs
splash into the sea.
Running Action between the U.S. Frigate
“President” and HMS “Endymion,” January 1815
Artist: Thomas Buttersworth
1815
Oil on canvas; 16 x 22 in.
New York Historical Society. 1963.59. Bequest of
Irving S. Olds
Buttersworth’s pendant work records the British capture of the "President" several years later,
then under the command of Captain Stephen Decatur. On the night of January 14, 1815, the
President slipped out of the blockaded New York Harbor. All during the following day, British
vessels gave chase. Unable to outdistance all his pursuers, Decatur turned and engaged the
"Endymion" at dusk, and we see the ships exchanging fire under an evening sky. After again
attempting to escape, he was compelled to surrender on January 16, and the American prize was
taken to Bermuda. However, the war had ended, and Decatur was later released. Prints after
Buttersworth’s renditions of these two dramatic encounters were published in London some
months later.
Fishing in a Catboat in Great South Bay
Artist: Junius Brutus Stearns
1871
Oil on canvas; 29 x 39 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1964.21. Gift of Otto von
Kienbusch
Junius Brutus Stearns’s delightful saltwater fishing expedition skillfully combines genre,
sporting, and portrait painting. The subjects do not turn to face the painter and pose but are
portrayed as if fully engaged with deploying their fishing lines. Costume distinguishes the local
mariner who pilots the catboat from the more fashionable day-trippers who fill his vessel. The
gently humorous episode evokes the popularity of seaside leisure in the latter decades of the
nineteenth century. Stearns also captures the light and atmosphere of open water off the
southern shore of Long Island, rendered here with as much conviction as he does the smart little
sailboat that provides a maritime setting for his charming social narrative.
New York Harbor
Artist: Thomas Birch
1813
Oil on canvas; 20 1/4 x 30 1/4 x 3/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1971.118. Gift of Mrs.
Ethel McCullough Scott, John G. McCullough, and
Mrs. Edith McCullough Heaphy, 1971
Birch presents an expansive view of the vast harbor as a convincing seascape as well as a
pageant of maritime activities. Our nautical vantage point is from a boat out on the waters of the
upper bay. Castle Williams, the round fortification on Governor’s Island, is seen at the right, and
a distant vista of the New York skyline appears at the center. Birch skillfully conveyed not only
the topographic landmarks of the port but also a convincing sense of atmospherics in a
beautifully realized waterscape in which flags are flying, sails are filled with wind, and whitecaps
crest the swells in the foreground.
Castle Garden, New York City
Artist: Jasper Francis Cropsey
1859
Oil on canvas; 15 1/8 x 24 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1972.13. Museum
Purchase, Thomas Jefferson Bryan Fund
Cropsey returned to the subject some years later in this larger painting, based on the same study
but showing the theater at night. Sunshine is replaced by the drama of a cloudy night sky with
the full moon illuminating the dark waters that careful looking will reveal are still thronged with
boats. Cold moonlight is paired with the contrasting glow of lanterns aboard shadowy vessels,
lending an aura of romantic mystery to the looming mass of the fortress and surrounding
walkways. These two paintings of day and night suggest that New York City was, even then, open
around the clock for business and entertainment.
Off City Island, New York
Artist: Francis Augustus Silva
1870
Oil on canvas; 20 1/4 x 40 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1975.22. Museum
Purchase, Thomas Jefferson Bryan Fund
Silva was a self-taught but gifted marine painter who excelled at capturing certain aerial and
atmospheric effects, typically focusing on remote stretches of river and coast. In these works, he
exploited the great expanse of open sky and the fleeting effects of weather and the time of day to
create poetic waterscapes. The artist has suffused the entire environment in a warm glow that
mutes all maritime energies, transforming the passage of ships into the realm of maritime
leisure. In this quiet channel, the almost still and luminous waters reflect the sails of becalmed
schooners and a sloop. City Island is said to be visible in the distance, which places the scene on
Eastchester Bay at the western end of Long Island Sound.
New York Harbor
Artist: Francis Augustus Silva
1880
Oil on canvas; 12 × 20 in.
New York Historical Society. 1975.29. Gift of the Pintard
Fellows
Silva explored the waterways in and around the harbor to find the subjects for his luminous
waterscapes. The artist transforms the busy port of New York into a romantic vista by portraying
the expanse of water radiant with sunset’s glow. On the left, sails, masts, pilings, and docks seem
to stretch as far as the eye can see, indicating the waterfront and a city unseen. Open waters at
the right fade away into evening mists, suggesting limitless horizons. At the center, a husky
tugboat steams toward us; its homely profile is in sharp contrast to the graceful sailing vessels
nearby.
The Narrows and Fort Lafayette, Ships Coming
Into Port
Artist: Samuel Coleman
1868
Oil on canvas; 30 x 60 in.
New York Historical Society. 1976.2. Museum Purchase,
The Watson Fund
Colman, known for his landscapes and port scenes, painted this sweeping view of the Narrows,
the channel at the mouth of New York Harbor, looking west. In the far left distance, Fort
Wadsworth on the shore of Staten Island can be seen. The massive walls of Fort Lafayette, built
on a small island in the waterway, dominate the center of the painting. During the Civil War, the
fort had housed Confederate prisoners of war and political prisoners. Nevertheless, the mood is
mellow; the vista is bathed in the golden glow of afternoon sun. Two artists observe the passing
scene from the Brooklyn waterside. Majestic merchant vessels are drifting before Fort
Wadsworth, carried by the tide into the harbor.
A Sketch of Castle Garden
Artist: Jasper Francis Cropsey
1851
Oil on canvas; 10 1/2 x 16 3/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1977.76. Museum Purchase,
Thomas Jefferson Bryan Fund
The artist, who was trained as an architect, made a careful drawing of Castle Garden in 1851,
keenly observing the intricacies of the actual structure and the site. He used that study for a
series of views painted over the course of a decade, two of which are shown here. All of these
paintings exploited the picturesque possibilities of the old fort, by then converted to a theater,
and its situation at the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island. This fluidly painted oil sketch is
small but expansive, offering a vista of the harbor busy with maritime traffic and a dramatic sky
overhead. Cropsey presented this work to Jenny Lind, the Swedish soprano who had made her
American debut at Castle Garden in 1850.
Whale's Tooth, Scrimshaw
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1840 - 1860
Ivory, black ink; 5 1/8 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/8 in.
New York Historical Society. 1981.31. Gift of Colonel
Henry O. Havemeyer
Scrimshaw is the name given to the decorative and practical objects carved by whalers during
their leisure hours at sea from the jawbones or teeth of whales and walrus tusks. Although
permutations of the word "scrimshaw" and theories abound, the origin of this mid-nineteenth
century term remains unknown. Decorations were often based on images from popular prints
such as the rousing War of 1812 subject of the "Constitution" battling the "Guerriere" engraved
on the surface of a whale’s tooth. Engraved on the other tooth is a detailed view of the practice
and perils of whale hunting. One whale is dead, marked with a ‘waif’ flag identifying the carcass
for later pick-up. Another whale capsizes a vessel.
Herman Melville mentions the whaling crew’s production of scrimshaw in his great seafaring
novel "Moby Dick" (1851). “Some of them have little boxes of dentistical-looking implements,
specifically intended for the skrimshandering business. But, in general, they toil with their
jackknives alone.”
Whale's Tooth, Scrimshaw
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1840-1860
Ivory, black ink; 3 1/8 x 7 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1981.33. Gift of Colonel
Henry O. Havemeyer
Review of the U.S. Fleet in New York Harbor,
April 27, 1893
Artist: Andrew Meyer
1893
Oil on linen; 18 1/4 x 40 1/4 in.
New York Historical Society. 1986.17. Museum Purchase,
Thomas Jefferson Bryan Fund
An amateur artist named “Andy Meyer” painted this lively vernacular portrayal of New York’s
harbor as the setting for ceremonial naval pageantry staged as part of the opening ceremonies of
the Columbian Exposition. President Grover Cleveland aboard the USS "Dolphin" reviewed a
fleet of 35 warships carrying more than 10,000 officers, seamen, and marines from some 20
nations. We are situated among the crowds on the ramparts of Castle Williams on Governor’s
Island seen at the lower left. Meyer’s panoramic view charts the vessels as they paraded in
double columns before the Statue of Liberty, presented by France to the United States and
dedicated by President Cleveland in 1886.
State Department Lifesaving Medal
Artist: Francis H. Koehler
1862
Bronze; 63.9mm (2 1/2 inches) diameter
New York Historical Society. 2008.42.368. Gift of the Naval
History Society, 1925
Joseph Francis Lifesaving Medallion
Artist: Louis St. Gaudens
1890
Bronze; 102.5mm (4 1/16 inches) diameter
New York Historical Society. 2008.42.370. Gift of the Naval
History Society, 1925
The frequency of marine disasters in the nineteenth century inspired efforts to improve
maritime safety practices. Medals were also struck by the United States Mint, beginning in the
1850s, to recognize those who saved the lives of shipwrecked mariners. The miniature rescue
drama on the lifesaving medal was executed by Koehler, a talented die cutter and engraver of
jewelry.
Efforts to develop better lifesaving equipment were also recognized. The bronze Joseph Francis
lifesaving medallion was modeled after the Congressional Gold Medal (now in the Smithsonian)
awarded to Francis in 1890 for his endeavors. The medal portrays a shipwreck with Francis’s
most famous invention in operation. His metallic life-car, credited with saving thousands of
lives, is shown transporting the passengers and crew to safety from a stranded vessel foundering
offshore. The sculptor was the brother of Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
The Sailor's Grave
Artist: Richard Morell Staigg
c. 1862
Oil on millboard; 13 × 10 3/8 in.
New York Historical Society. S-38. The Robert L. Stuart Collection
"The Sailor’s Grave" presents the aftermath of loss at sea. The storm has passed and a mood of
quiet melancholy pervades this modestly scaled but poignant little figure painting. Two young
girls on the seashore mourn at the grave of a father or brother as the very waves that may have
claimed him roll in behind them. The work is a touching reminder of the tragic consequences of
such marine disasters. The title evokes a popular poem of the 1820s, reminding us of the rich
seafaring literature that parallels these marine painting.
Sunset on the Coast
Artist: John Frederick Kensett
1861
Oil on canvas; 18 x 30 in.
New York Historical Society. S-42. The Robert L. Stuart
Collection
Kensett’s "Sunset on the Coast" is similar in composition to "Pulpit Rock", but, as the title
suggests, it is not site-specific: it depicts an isolated coastline unpopulated except for a solitary
waterfowl. Distant sails on the horizon do nothing to dispel the sense of solitude on a remote
shore bathed in the glow of the setting sun, suggesting a site for romantic meditation on matters
both spiritual and geologic, as breaking waves beat on the sands beneath looming rock ledges.
Pupit Rock, Nahant
Artist: John Frederick Kensett
1859
Oil on canvas; 18 x 30 in.
New York Historical Society. S-84. The Robert L. Stuart
Collection
One of the first major landscape painters to develop a strong interest in painting coastal terrain,
Kensett portrayed the New England and New Jersey seaboard. However, his artistic
interpretations were not conventionally picturesque, as we see here. The artist depicted the
dramatic setting of Pulpit Rock, a prominent landmark at the fashionable seaside resort near
Boston, a site for geologic investigations by the famed Harvard geologist Louis Agassiz. Agassiz
documented evidence of ancient volcanic and glacial activity in the gigantic rock ledges that
formed the coast. The care with which Kensett records the massive jutting profile of red-hued
igneous rock suggests he was also aware of geologic forces. Pulpit Rock was destroyed by a
nor’easter in 1951.
Wreck on the Isle of Jersey
Artist: Mauritz Frederick Hendrick De Haas
c. 1862
Oil on canvas; 17 x 32 in.
New York Historical Society. S-89. The Robert L. Stuart
Collection
Trained in Holland and settling in New York in 1859, De Haas enjoyed great success as a marine
painter. His painterly skills are evident in this portrayal of the most dreaded of maritime
disasters unfolding within sight of the lighthouse that should be a beacon of safety in this
dangerous passage. Crowds clustered near the lighthouse on the cliffs above the channel are
helpless witnesses as huge storm-driven waves overwhelm the vessels foundering on the rocks
below. Storm clouds and rough seas seem to merge into a boiling mass of vapors and waves.
Errant beams of light break through the clouds to highlight the sails and foaming waves in the
foreground, reinforcing the tragic drama playing out below.
Tropical Sunset at Sea
Artist: Mauritz Frederick Hendrick De Haas
c. 1862
Oil on canvas; 24 x 34 in.
New York Historical Society. S-109. The Robert L. Stuart
Collection
De Haas’s luminous marine painting portrays a splendid vessel under the American flag being
guided into a huge harbor by a small steam vessel. The tall ship is dramatically silhouetted
against a spectacular sunset. The disk of the setting sun throws the tower of sail into sharp
profile against the glow of the twilight sky. While distant waters are darkened by cloud cover on
the horizon, the sun still tints the edges of cloud masses whose soaring shape echo the ship in
the foreground. The romantic title resonates with suggestions of sultry climates in exotic ports of
call, evoking the thrill of seafaring adventure in faraway places.
U.S. Ships of the Line “Delaware” and “North
Carolina” and Frigates “Brandywine” and
“Constellation”
Artist: James Guy Evans
c. 1835 -1860
Oil on canvas; 31 3/4 × 44 1/8 in.
New York Historical Society. X.160. Gift of an Anonymous
Donor
By 1794 American coasts and shipping were protected by the fleet of a newly established United
States Navy. This splendid painting commemorates American military power and national
identity in a brilliantly colored maritime pageant recording four warships under full sail. The
"Delaware" and "North Carolina" each mounted 74 guns and were ships of the line, so called
because their armaments were powerful enough to lie in the line of battle where opposing fleets
sailed parallel while firing at each other. The "Brandywine" and "Constellation" were frigates
carrying 36 and 44 guns, respectively. The "Delaware" at the left can be identified by the
distinctive figurehead of the Delaware Chief Tamenund. Names of the vessels as well as the
navy’s motto, “Don’t give up the ship,” are inscribed below.
An April Day, New York
Artist: Arthur Quartley
1881
Oil on canvas; 28 1/8 x 44 1/4 x 7/8 in.
New York Historical Society. X.720.
Hailed as an artist of great promise, Quartley died in 1886 after a short career of only little more
than a decade. This large and ambitious painting with its lively brushwork and silvery gray
tonalities was much admired when exhibited in 1881. One critic offered an eloquent tribute: “It
is the familiar North River Battery reach, with admirable cloud treatment. From the Bay the
lower part of the city is seen in the distance, the mass of buildings rising in dim outline. The
spire of old Trinity towers above the rest like a watchful guardian. . . . Away over in Long Island
a storm is in progress, and is rapidly approaching the city. The fickle sky, the force and sweep of
the wind, and the swollen sea, admirably express the feeling of a characteristic "April Day".”
Snuffbox
Artist: Unidentified Artist
1812 - 1830
Papier-mâché, paint; 3/4 x 3 3/8 in. ( 1.9 x 8.6 cm ) overall
New York Historical Society. Z.1851ab
Many snuff boxes made for the American market during and after the War of 1812 featured
portraits of naval officers and images of American naval victories; both were usually based upon
popular prints. The flat round lid of a papier-mâché snuffbox presents a miniature battle-piece
of the famous encounter between the USS "Constitution" and the HMS "Guerriere". Carlton
Chapman’s later painting of that battle is on display in the exhibition. Stephen Decatur’s
celebrity as a national hero inspired mass media images of his likeness, seen here as applied to
the rectangular brass snuffbox where the victorious Commodore appears as a die-stamped bust
in relief. Rembrandt Peale’s handsome portrait of Decatur is also on view nearby.