Signaling to the Vessel, Georges Bank
Signed lower right: John Whorf
Description
Sporting motifs, Boston city views, coastal subjects, and attractive nudes in outdoor settings constituted a large portion of Whorf’s chosen subject matter and were all admired and quickly purchased by collectors. He was especially successful with his fishing themes, such as Signaling to the Vessel, Georges Bank, which was likely inspired by the hardy fishermen of Massachusetts’ coastal villages, who ventured to the waters of the North Atlantic in search of cod and halibut. The painting demonstrates Whorf’s mastery of the watercolor medium, particular in his interpretation of the reflections of light on the rolling waves and in his careful rendering of the actions and faces of the figures aboard the dory calling to a nearby ship.
Provenance
Inscriptions
(verso of paper in pencil) 2 Signaling to the Vessel / Georges Bank
Labels
Exhibitions
Literature
Condition
Very good. There are sporadic pinholes from the artist along the edges of the paper and minor toning along the margins from a previous mat. The lower left corner appears to have been wetted, scuffed, and then painted over by the artist to achieve the reflections on the waves. The verso of the paper has very minor toning and a few dots of discoloration at the edges, likely from an old frame’s mounting materials or tacks, but no old acidic tape or residue.
Frame Details
Description
Sporting motifs, Boston city views, coastal subjects, and attractive nudes in outdoor settings constituted a large portion of Whorf’s chosen subject matter and were all admired and quickly purchased by collectors. He was especially successful with his fishing themes, such as Signaling to the Vessel, Georges Bank, which was likely inspired by the hardy fishermen of Massachusetts’ coastal villages, who ventured to the waters of the North Atlantic in search of cod and halibut. The painting demonstrates Whorf’s mastery of the watercolor medium, particular in his interpretation of the reflections of light on the rolling waves and in his careful rendering of the actions and faces of the figures aboard the dory calling to a nearby ship.
Provenance
Inscriptions
(verso of paper in pencil) 2 Signaling to the Vessel / Georges Bank
Labels
Exhibitions
Literature
Condition
Very good. There are sporadic pinholes from the artist along the edges of the paper and minor toning along the margins from a previous mat. The lower left corner appears to have been wetted, scuffed, and then painted over by the artist to achieve the reflections on the waves. The verso of the paper has very minor toning and a few dots of discoloration at the edges, likely from an old frame’s mounting materials or tacks, but no old acidic tape or residue.
