Artwork
U.S. Mail Boat

U.S. Mail Boat is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Leila T. Bauman. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Leila T.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on boat: US / MAIL
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Bauman, the work is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.
The painting shows a U.S. Mail Boat positioned beside a house and a tree, suggesting a scene of domestic life intertwined with the delivery of correspondence; the vessel functions as a symbol of communication and the connection between home and the wider nation. Rendered in oil on canvas in 1855 by Leila T. Bauman, the work is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces from Union County, New Jersey, through collector George Hasney to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who gifted it to the museum in 1958.
Technique & Style
Created in 1855, U.S. Mail Boat is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 51.4 centimeters in height and 67.3 centimeters in width. As an oil painting, the medium allows for the depiction of specific subjects including a boat, a house, and a tree.
The piece is classified as a painting and is currently held within the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The physical dimensions and material composition define the formal parameters of this mid-nineteenth-century American work.
History & Provenance
Leila T. Bauman created the oil-on-canvas painting U.S. Mail Boat in 1855. The work's early history is traced to Union County, New Jersey, where it was held by George Hasney. An affidavit of ownership signed by Hasney on March 16, 1951, documents his possession prior to the work entering the commercial market.
In 1951, Hasney sold the piece to Mrs. Frank Bien of Morristown, New Jersey. That same year, Mrs. Bien transferred ownership to collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The Garbisches subsequently gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1958, where it remains part of the permanent collection.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., accessioned as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch in 1958. Its provenance traces from George Hasney of Union County, New Jersey, who sold it in 1951 to Mrs. Frank Bien of Morristown, New Jersey; she then sold it the same year to the Garbischs. An ownership affidavit signed by Hasney on 16 March 1951 is retained in the Gallery’s curatorial file.
Overview
Leila T. Bauman's 1855 oil on canvas, "U.S. Mail Boat," captures a specific scene. The composition features a small vessel prominently positioned on a body of water. In the background, a dwelling and several trees complete the serene landscape.
This work exemplifies Bauman's approach to depicting everyday subjects within a natural setting, utilizing traditional painting techniques to create a focused visual narrative.
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