This Interesting Painting Has Been Sold. Thank
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SAILING YACHTS
SILK THREAD ON CANVAS
In the style of Thomas H. Willis (1860-1925)
Embroidery on oil on canvas 19th
Century, Ca 1875
Unframed 35 1/2" L x 19 3/4" H
Framed 41 1/2" x 26" x 2 3/4D
Unsigned
Presented is an embroidery of three American sailing yachts very much in the style of Thomas H. Willis the
recognized master of using silk thread, satin and embroidery on painted canvas to portray all types of vessels.
In this work, the gaff headed cutter in the foreground with a spoon bow is of a type that was popular in the last quarter
of the 19th Century and early in the 20th Century. She fly's the American flag from her main gaff, and the burgee of the New
York Yacht Club from her main truck. There is a similar cutter with black hull and plumb bow on the same course astern
and a sloop with a clipper bow on a reciprocal course ahead off her to her starboard. The weather is pleasant with
blue skies and gentle seas.
The painting is unsigned, and the stars in the American flag are not evident so they are no help in
dating the work. However the painting is clearly quite old and the style, materials and workmanship is typical of the
work of Willis, and no other. Please note that are photographs were
taken through glass and some of what the viewer sees is reflections of the background.
Willis had the ability to capture the
image of ships and yachts using mostly silk thread and embroidery techniques as others would use paint. His work is startlingly
realistic as is this one.
CONSTRUCTION: The background is oil on canvas. The hulls of all three yachts are velvet. The sails appear to be silk
or satin fabric. The rigging is silk thread, and the detailing such as rubbing strakes, detailing, American flag, burgees, and
figures is embroidered in heavy thread. The panels of the sails are drawn in pencil.
CONDITION: The painting is very old with much crackling, and somewhat stiff. The wood frame with
ornate detail weighs about 22 pounds. The frame shows its age by an accumulation of years of dust, but
is intact. The canvas is quite old with lots of crackling, and a small tear in the lower center bottom and
what may be a small break in the center sky. The main sail on the boats show single tears which are quite evident
in the pictures. The thread rigging on the sailboats is broken, but this can be easily restored by a professional. There
is a small water stain on the clew of the larger cutter's mainsail.
All this is taken into account in the pricing
which is quite reasonable for a work of art of this size, complexity and charm.
THE ARTIST: There is little information available about the Master of this technique which is
surprising since he is well known in the art world. He was born in New York in 1850 and lived most of his life in Connecticut
close to the waters where many of these vessels frequented. It is said he died in 1925 in New York City, but others say that
date is wrong. Willis is recognized as the master of ship portraits created in silk, fabric and using needle
work. He painted his backgrounds using oil on canvas, while the sails, and rigging are silk and silk floss. Sometimes the
hulls were done in fabric such as satin and velvet, but also are know to be in thread. His signature was a "T" over
a "W".
His work is in the Mariner's Museum, the Mystic Seaport Museum
and the Peabody Museum, and his name appears in various registries of American artists. There is a good market in Willis'
ship portraits, and they are avidly collected.
International buyers welcome, but inquire first. We have satisfied customers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark,
England, France, Germany, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Nova Scotia,
Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, USVI and the Eastern Caribbean.
SHIPPING & PACKING: The cost of shipping, packing, handling, and insurance to your destination,
will be calculated after the auction and is an additional charge. You may email us before bidding to get these costs.
We price our shipping honestly, but we expect to be reimbursed for the nominal cost of packaging materials and handling.
OUR UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned,
if without damage, within three days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full
value. A prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Unfortunately, shipping charges are not included
in this offer and are non-refundable unless due to our error.
A
silk thread and embroidery work in the style of Thomas H. Willis in old, but enjoyable condition.
Copyright 2006 by Land And Sea Collection.com, All Rights
Reserved
