Mishap at the Ford

Alvan T. Fisher painted Mishap at the Ford in 1818, an oil-on-wood panel measuring roughly 70 × 91 cm. The work first entered a Cincinnati collector circle, possibly belonging to Samuel Wyllys Pomeroy, who may have lent it to the Western Art-Union in Cincinnati in 1849. After changing hands through several dealers, it appeared in the Boston area by the mid‑1950s and was sold to Vose Galleries in 1955/1956. Vose subsequently sold the painting to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in April 1957.

The Corcoran retained ownership until 2015, when it entered the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., under accession number 2015.19.29.

After surfacing in the collection of Samuel Wyllys Pomeroy around 1849 and passing through several Boston dealers, the work was sold to Vose Galleries, which sold it to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1957. Its inclusion in the Corcoran’s holdings and subsequent transfer to the National Gallery of Art in 2015 secured its place as a documented early American painting. The work’s material characteristics, depicted boat and tree, and its 1818 date are recorded in museum catalogues.

Alvan Fisher's 1818 painting, Mishap at the Ford, captures a seemingly tranquil moment on a river that subtly reveals an unfolding incident. Executed in oil on a wood panel, this work presents a scene where human and animal figures navigate a waterway, hinting at the challenges of travel in the early 19th century. It offers a glimpse into a minor, yet potentially precarious, event.

The painting illustrates a man wading through a river, guiding a horse that pulls a small boat containing a woman. While the initial impression might be one of serene passage, closer observation reveals a developing tension. The woman's wide-eyed expression and the man's firm grasp on the rope suggest a moment of unexpected difficulty, transforming a routine crossing into a minor predicament.