Edit Object 2968

Warren Sheppard's gentle luminism bathes this work with the warm tones of a late afternoon on New York's East River in 1876. The location appears to be on Little Neck Bay looking North towards Throggs Neck, on the south-eastern tip of the Bronx, where the East River meets Long Island Sound. The fort depicted in the right background is Fort Schuyler, which today houses the prestigious Maritime Industry Museum and the State University Maritime College.

A skilled navigator and yacht designer, Warren Sheppard created paintings abundant with details learned from a lifetime spent at sea. The authenticity so prevalent in Sheppard's work is combined with painterly skills learned while studying as a young man with the esteemed Dutch marine master M.F.H. De Haas. This composition is so beautifully balanced it presents the viewer with a seemingly un-posed tableau of life on the East River in the late 19th century.

The central vessel is a schooner-barque or barkentine, with sails raised, but still un-sheeted and slack. The presence of the steam tug in the foreground and crewmen who appear to be working the barkentine's ground tackle suggests the ship is just raising anchor and will soon be assisted down-channel to the sea by the tug. The towboat wears no livery or markings to identify it, but is most likely owned by the Greenpoint Literage Company which was the foundation of the McAllister Brothers Towing Co., that sent tugs out from their docks in nearby Queens. Today, McAllister continues to operate tugs all over the East Coast. Two schooners are working in the background with a small brig riding at anchor to the far right of the composition.

This painting is an important example of Sheppard's most sought after style and subject. Housed in its original period gilt frame.

Select a Type
American Ship Portrait
Barometers
Bells
Binnacles & Compasses
Binoculars
Book Maritime
Book Voyages
Books
Books General
Boylhart Collection
Builders Full Models
Builders Half-Model
Canes - Decorative
Canes - Gimmick
Cannons
Carving
Chronometers
Clocks
Contemporary Art
Contemporary Models
Decorative Art - Boxes
Dieppe Models
Diorama Models
Diving Helmets & Equipment
Dockyard Models
Edged Weapons
Engravings
Figureheads
Firearms
Fishing Equipment
Folk Art Models
Furniture
Glass and Pottery
Globes
Jewelry
Joe & Lisa's Art Collection
Lamps
Letters
Lighthouse Artifacts
Limited-Edition Prints
Lithographs
Maps & Charts
Marine Narrative
Marine Narrative at Sea
Medical
Microscopes
Miscellaneous Artifacts
Navigation Instruments - Compass
Navigation Instruments
Navigation Instruments - Sextant
Octants, Quadrants & Backstaffs
Original art
Other Models
Painted Photograph
Passenger Liner Memorabilia
Patent Models
Period Models
Photographs
Pond Models
Pottery
Prints
Prisoner-of-War Artifacts
Prisoner-of-War Models
Sailor Crafts
Sailor Valentines
Sailor Woolworks
Scrimshaw Artifacts
Scrimshaw Private
Scrimshaw Teeth
Sea Chests
Sextants
Ship Clocks
Ship Hardwares
Ship in a Bottle
Ship Log Books
Ships Flogging Whip
Signed Documents
Silver and Silver Plated Models
Speaking Trumpets
Statues
Steam Engine Models
Steam Models
Sundials
Sword
Tankards & Pitchers
Telescopes
Tillers, Rudders & Yokes
Toy Models
Trinity Boxes
Trophys & Presentions
Voyages & Travels
Watches
Whaling