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Item ID :PA0625
Baker, Elisha Taylor (Attr.) (American 1827-1890) Oil on canvas, depicting the American merchant schooner, "J Waterberry", under full sail, attributed to Elisha Taylor Baker, circa 1870. The schooner has a black hull with a clipper bow. There are painted trailboards and red and white stripes below the rail. At the top of the rail, below the aft deckhouse is the vessel's name painted in yellow, " J Waterberry". The sails are well painted and retain the original sail seams and reef points. The standing and running rigging is accurately rendered and all original. Flying from the top of the main mast is a blue flag with white painted letters: "J. W". Flying off the gaff is the American flag which has gray stripes simulating the flag is waving, a typical feature in Baker's paintings. The sky and water have a luminous quality and are painted in the style of E.T. Baker. The highlighting in the water around the bow and past the stern are typical Baker qualities. The sky has patchy clouds with purple and gray highlighting, another frequently used technique of E.T. Baker. (PA-625) Note: Elisha Taylor Baker was born in New York City in 1827. He went to sea in 1851 and was active as a marine artist between 1871 and circa 1885. Most of Taylor's paintings are unsigned, however, a few are signed with his monogram. All Taylor's paintings share the highlighting and luminous qualities as the painting described above. Reference 1: Brewington, M.V. & Dorothy Brewington, "Kendall Whaling Museum Paintings", Sharon, Massachusetts: Kendall Whaling Museum, 1965, p. 64. A similar painting signed by Baker and painted in 1885 is illustrated in full page color. Reference 2: Brewington, Dorothy E.R., "Marine Paintings and Drawings in Mystic Seaport Museum", Mystic, Connecticut: Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., 1982, pp.9 & 10. Illustrated full page color on plate 20 and half page (black and white) page 9, plate 19, are two paintings attributed to E.T. Baker which are very similar to the painting described above. Provenance: Accompanying the painting is a letter dated August 28, 2006 from Mark Coleman indicating upon the death of his grandfather he was the last owner of the painting. The paintings had descended through several generations of the Willard family as here described. The paintings were originally purchased by Jack Willard which were on display at the Willard/Daggett Fish Company at Central Wharf, Portland, Maine. The paintings passed to Philip Willard and were on display in his home in South Portland. The paintings were then inherited by Mark Coleman. Condition of painting: Please see document folder for full condition report by Yost Restoration. Condition of frame: Painting retains original Victorian gold leaf frame. The frame is in excellent condition and has original surface.
Dimensions of painting: 21 x 31.
Dimensions of frame: 24 1/2 x 34 1/2.
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