ANONYMOUS

Watercolor of a Harbor Scene

1798. Watercolor. Painted on watermarked laid wove paper. Watermarked with a Russell & Co, 1798 watermark. In excellent condition, with the exception of a number of tiny tears along the edges of the sheet. A crease along the left top corner of sheet. Right margin is creased outside image. Image size (including text): 9 5/8 x 19 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 10 5/8 x 20 3/4 inches.

A beautiful watercolor depicting a lively port with ships in the harbor.

Unfortunately we have not been able to discover any information concerning the artist of this beautiful painting. It bears no title or signature, therefore it is almost impossible to ascertain the location of the scene or its creator. It is obviously from the hand of an accomplished amateur painter who had a natural talent for design and a keen eye for detail. The scene depicts a busy town and port with a multitude of galleons in the harbor. The artist has obviously spent a considerable amount of time producing this painting and has included a wealth of intricate details. The ship in the lower right corner of the painting flies a British flag off its bow, and there is a military encampment on the outlying shore of the bay. These details, and the inclusion of the windmill, suggest that the image depicts a European port. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Britain was in a nearly constant state of war with Europe, English and Continental privateers conducted an ongoing battle on the high seas. The inclusion of numerous ships may be an allusion to this turbulent period in British history. The work was most likely painted by a British artist since the paper was produced by the British papermakers Russell & Co.

Item #14697

Price: $1,500.00