Painting, Seascape with American Ships
date: label: date made
content: 1865
name: label: maker
content: Bonfield, George Robert
notes: label: Description
content: Anglo-American marine painter George Robert Bonfield (1802-1898) was born in England; his family migrated to Philadelphia in the early 19th century, and Bonfield was apprenticed to a stonecutter (his father's trade). In his youth, he occasionally sketched at the New Jersey estate of Joseph Bonaparte, Napolean's exiled brother and former king of Naples and Spain. It was there that he had access to fine European marine paintings, which fostered his interest in the genre and influenced his individual style. Also influential was his study of the work of the prominent Philadelphia painter Thomas Birch, who focused on marine subjects for much of his oeuvre. Bonfield's work in the mid-19th century, which tended towards romantic rather than realistic treatment, was especially popular with Philadelphia merchants and shipowners, and he was active in numerous artistic societies, academies and societies. The Delaware River was a favorite background for his paintings, but the artist tended to name many of his works with generic titles that make it difficult to identify specific ships or places. His popularity declined after the Civil War.
label: Description
content: In the foreground is a small, open-decked gaff-rigged sailing vessel-probably a fishing boat-beached on the low tide. A crewman is leaning over the side to either take or give something to the man on the beach. Four similar craft ply the middle ground of the image. In the background are two full-rigged American ships; the nearer (larger) one has only topsails set, and the more distant vessel has no sails up and apparently is anchored into the wind. Unfortunately, the absence of any landmarks or detailed topography in this painting prevents identification of the scene.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Maritime
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
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content: Cigna Maritime Collection
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content: Transportation
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0279.003
label: accession number
content: 2005.0279
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0279.003
objectType: label: Object Name
content: painting
label: Object Name
content: painting, oil
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: oil on canvas (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: without frame: 24 in x 36 in; 60.96 cm x 91.44 cm
label: Measurements
content: with frame: 28 in x 40 in; 71.12 cm x 101.6 cm