Painting - Sailing ship painting w/ silk work
Three-dimensional painting, in a glass covered shallow shadow box, of a full-rigged ship with a black hull. Possibly by Thomas Willis c.1900. Donated in October 2018 by George and Maureen Collins - former Madison residents. They purchased it at an antiques dealer in Washington DC or New York.
A pink/red line runs below the rail and the water line/keel is defined by a yellow thread. Most 3 dimensional features are done in embroidery thread or silk. The ship's hull is made of black velvet and the sails are of a thick, smooth, cream-colored cloth. Lines and strings on the sails appear to have been drawn on in pencil but all rigging lines are a thick twine-like string. Depth is added as many of the sails are stacked upon each other or are convex in shape, from some hidden support, to imitate wind catching the sails. One fascinating area of the ship is where the hull meets the waves. Threads have been splayed to look similar to water spray coming up from the oncoming wave as it crashes against the side of the ship. Two figures are embroidered on the ship near the stern.
The ship carries three masts: foremost, main, and mizzen. It carries 5 sails on the foremost (front) and main (middle) listed from the bottom to top: Main, topsail, gallant, topgallant, and royal. Ships such as this sometimes carry two additional masts above these known as the sky sail and moonraker sail (top). The ship is square-rigged which means the sails do not move on booms but are square (perpendicular) to the rudder. This type of ship was most speed efficient for its time and preferred by many merchants. This ship also carries 5 staysails (triangular sails used for tacking); two between the main and mizzen masts and three between the bowsprit and foremast. The three at the bow of the ship are known as jib sails and are listed innermost to outermost: foretopmast staysail, inner jib, and outer jib. This ship has no figurehead but does include a dolphin striker located below the bowsprit to provide tension and stability to the bowsprit. The mainsail of the mizzen mast is partially extended but all other sails are fully extended. This may be to allow the gaff sail (a square sail) rigged off the back of the mizzen mast more wind. The gaff sail is the only aspect of this ship with is not square-rigged as it swings on a boom and is not perpendicular to the rudder. This type of rigging is often known as fore-and-aft rigging and is what sailboats and many other smaller vessels use. The bowsprit is a wooden beam which extends beyond the bow of the ship from which to attach jib sails. Each mast contains a pennant; the foremast (front) and mizzen (rear) are small in size while the main mast carries a much longer pennant. An American flag flies from the aft (rear) of the ship. The dolphin striker allows for the rigging of bobstays, martingales, or martingale bobstays all of which are attached below the bowsprit and above the waterline.
The background beyond the ship is fluffy clouds and blue sky.
There is a painted golden inner frame of carved wood beneath the glass but the main frame is stained maple wood with the outer inch engraved in a repeating pattern. The wood grain is very visible on the flat part of the frame.
There is a small land protrusion on the right side of the painting with a lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's house. The hills moving inland are low but covered in deep green grass.
41 3/8" x 25 1/2" x 1 3/4 Outer frame: 2 7/16" Inner frame: 5/8"
A pink/red line runs below the rail and the water line/keel is defined by a yellow thread. Most 3 dimensional features are done in embroidery thread or silk. The ship's hull is made of black velvet and the sails are of a thick, smooth, cream-colored cloth. Lines and strings on the sails appear to have been drawn on in pencil but all rigging lines are a thick twine-like string. Depth is added as many of the sails are stacked upon each other or are convex in shape, from some hidden support, to imitate wind catching the sails. One fascinating area of the ship is where the hull meets the waves. Threads have been splayed to look similar to water spray coming up from the oncoming wave as it crashes against the side of the ship. Two figures are embroidered on the ship near the stern.
The ship carries three masts: foremost, main, and mizzen. It carries 5 sails on the foremost (front) and main (middle) listed from the bottom to top: Main, topsail, gallant, topgallant, and royal. Ships such as this sometimes carry two additional masts above these known as the sky sail and moonraker sail (top). The ship is square-rigged which means the sails do not move on booms but are square (perpendicular) to the rudder. This type of ship was most speed efficient for its time and preferred by many merchants. This ship also carries 5 staysails (triangular sails used for tacking); two between the main and mizzen masts and three between the bowsprit and foremast. The three at the bow of the ship are known as jib sails and are listed innermost to outermost: foretopmast staysail, inner jib, and outer jib. This ship has no figurehead but does include a dolphin striker located below the bowsprit to provide tension and stability to the bowsprit. The mainsail of the mizzen mast is partially extended but all other sails are fully extended. This may be to allow the gaff sail (a square sail) rigged off the back of the mizzen mast more wind. The gaff sail is the only aspect of this ship with is not square-rigged as it swings on a boom and is not perpendicular to the rudder. This type of rigging is often known as fore-and-aft rigging and is what sailboats and many other smaller vessels use. The bowsprit is a wooden beam which extends beyond the bow of the ship from which to attach jib sails. Each mast contains a pennant; the foremast (front) and mizzen (rear) are small in size while the main mast carries a much longer pennant. An American flag flies from the aft (rear) of the ship. The dolphin striker allows for the rigging of bobstays, martingales, or martingale bobstays all of which are attached below the bowsprit and above the waterline.
The background beyond the ship is fluffy clouds and blue sky.
There is a painted golden inner frame of carved wood beneath the glass but the main frame is stained maple wood with the outer inch engraved in a repeating pattern. The wood grain is very visible on the flat part of the frame.
There is a small land protrusion on the right side of the painting with a lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's house. The hills moving inland are low but covered in deep green grass.
41 3/8" x 25 1/2" x 1 3/4 Outer frame: 2 7/16" Inner frame: 5/8"
2019.090.001