Artwork
Connecticut Sea Captain
Connecticut Sea Captain is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Isaac Sheffield. It dates from 1833 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on reverse (no longer visible, photograph in object file [1965.15.4] in NGA curatorial records): I. Sheffield, Pinxt. / April 1833
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is classified as a portrait and held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.
Connecticut Sea Captain is executed in oil on wood, a support consistent with the modest panel format favored for itinerant American portraiture of the early nineteenth century. The painted surface measures 76.2 by 62.3 cm, a near-square format suited to a half-length seated figure. The work is classified as a portrait and held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
The handling reflects Sheffield's straightforward, linear approach typical of self-taught or regionally trained painters working in Connecticut during the 1830s. No condition issues are documented in the available records.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1833 by Isaac Sheffield, this oil on wood portrait originates from Connecticut. The work's documented ownership begins with Sara H. Andrews of Ashaway, Rhode Island. In 1955, Andrews sold the painting to the prominent collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch.
A decade later, in 1965, the Garbisches donated the piece to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection.
The painting Connecticut Sea Captain by Isaac Sheffield entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., after being sold in 1955 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who later gifted the work to the museum in 1965. The acquisition was recorded as a gift, and the piece is listed in the Gallery’s collection with an accession year of 1965. Its dimensions are 76.2 cm by 62.3 cm, and it is catalogued as an oil on wood portrait from 1833. No exhibition records are noted in the available documentation.
Context
The 1833 portrait by Isaac Sheffield depicts a Connecticut sea captain, reflecting the prominence of maritime figures in early American society. Its oil on wood panel, measuring 76.2 by 62.3 centimeters, entered the National Gallery of Art collection through a 1965 gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, having previously been owned by the Garbisch family and recorded as originating in Connecticut. Scholars have noted the painting’s realistic rendering and its role within the development of regional portraiture in the United States, situating Sheffield’s work alongside contemporaneous portraitists who emphasized individual character and local identity. The piece is frequently referenced in studies of 19th‑century American maritime iconography.
Overview
Isaac Sheffield's 1833 oil on wood portrait, Connecticut Sea Captain, depicts an unidentified maritime figure. The artwork captures the subject in a formal pose, presenting him against a backdrop that alludes to his profession. This piece offers insight into early 19th-century American portraiture, particularly within coastal communities.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a man in a dark coat and a white cravat, holding a brass telescope, an instrument indicative of his seafaring occupation. Behind him, a vibrant red flag flutters near a window, through which a ship is visible sailing on a greenish sea beneath a cloudy sky. The captain's calm expression and direct gaze convey a sense of composure and authority.
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