Fig. 1 Portrait of James Francis Smith Attributed to Isaac Sheffield New London, Connecticut Dated 1837 Oil on canvas 48 X 351 / 2" Lyman Allyn Museum, New London, Connecticut The inscription on this painting reads "James F Smith born decr 19th 1831/this represents him in the dress he wore when he landed/from a voyage in the Ship-Chelsea from the/South Seas—island of desolation. Oct 12th 1837/aged at that time 5 years and 10 months:'
CROSS CURRENTS
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FACES,FIGUREHEADS AND SCRIMSHAW FANCIES MI BY JOYCE HILL• The expansion of American whaling from 1820 to 1850 brought certain ports with whaling vessel capacity to unprecedented levels of growth and activity. The numbers of sea captains, whaling masters, and shipping agents as well as those offering auxiliary services vital to whaling—ship chandlers, provisioners, sail and rope makers,iron and boat works owners—swelled to impressive strengths. The prosperity of the ports and these residents attracted another increasingly visible force—the itinerant and quasi-local portrait painters who flourished in the pre-daguerreotype days prior to 18401 The forthcoming exhibit, "Cross Currents," opening June 26, 1984, focuses on several little-explored painters who recorded families primarily related to seafaring activities in ports
such as New London, Connecticut; Sag Harbor, Long Island; and New Bedford, Massachusetts. The three painters to be considered—Isaac Sheffield, Orlando Hand Bears and Frederick Mayhew— were all conditioned by seaport life and the sea. Each portrayed a sea constituency as well as friends and family. "Cross Currents" will also include other sea-related folk art: scrimshaw, ship figureheads and illustrated ship logs. Isaac Sheffield (18072-1845), the painter central to "Cross Currents," was the son of Captain Isaac Sheffield and Betsy Sizer of New London, Connecticut. Captain Isaac advertised frequently in Stonington, New London and Sag Harbor newspapers from 17981808 seeking passengers and cargo for various vessels. From 1815 until his 25