Artwork
Under Full Sail
Under Full Sail is an oil painting. It dates from 1826 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Formal qualities emphasize horizontal recession through receding diagonals of sail and shore, while the verticals of masts and house frame the composition.
The painting employs oil and possibly casein on a plaster ground applied to lath, a method consistent with early 19th-century American practice for stabilizing supports in humid climates. Handling shows careful layering of translucent glazes over a lighter ground, producing luminous skies and crisp foliage. Formal qualities emphasize horizontal recession through receding diagonals of sail and shore, while the verticals of masts and house frame the composition.
Brushwork remains precise in rigging details yet fluid in atmospheric passages, particularly in the sky’s graduated tones. The overall condition appears stable with minor craquelure, suggesting sustained environmental control since its 1953 acquisition by the National Gallery of Art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1826, the painting Under Full Sail is attributed to an American artist of the 19th century. The work's earliest documented provenance traces it to Ely, Vermont. It was subsequently owned by Mary and Sara Andrews of Ashaway, Rhode Island.
In 1950, the Andrews sisters sold the piece to collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The Garbisches later donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1953, where it remains part of the collection. The medium is identified as oil, possibly with casein, applied to plaster and lath.
Under Full Sail is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it has been part of the museum’s collection since a 1953 gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Its provenance traces back to the Andrews family in Ely, Vermont, who owned the work before its sale in 1950. The painting, an 1826 oil and casein on plaster and lath depiction of a house and tree, is catalogued in the National Gallery of Art’s collection.
No specific exhibition record is documented in the referenced sources, though the work is accessible within the museum’s permanent collection galleries.
Overview
This painting, titled Under Full Sail, depicts a coastal scene rendered with a distinctive material approach. The artist employed oil and casein on a plaster and lath support, resulting in a surface texture that imparts a soft, chalky quality to the colors. The composition balances a sense of impending weather with a serene domestic element, creating a nuanced visual experience.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork presents a bright white house situated by the water, accompanied by a large, verdant tree. Above, a deep blue sky is filled with heavy, rolling clouds, suggesting an approaching storm. Boats rest on the shore, seemingly prepared for departure, yet the water appears turbulent.
This contrast between the tranquil dwelling and the dynamic natural elements evokes a sense of anticipation and the raw power of the sea.
Artist & collection
