MARINE ART NEWS In the fifty years that marine artist John foot D Building at Harbor will provide steamboat era will be on display, as will A. Noble spent in Staten Island he formed for holdings and programs and also for his two recent works, "Upriver from a uniquely strong bond with the New the Collecton 's most unusual posses- West Point" and "The Mary Powell." York Harbor community. Enough to sion: the formerly floating studio that Newlimited-editionHudsonRiverlithomake then Borough of Staten Island Noble built from salvaged parts of old graphs will also be available. (NMHS, 5 President Anthony Gaeta say at his wake: ships. The studio will be installed in the John Walsh Blvd., Charles Point, "John, you loved Staten Island in a way "hyphen" that connects Buildings C and Peekskill NY 10566; 914 271-2177) In Philadelphia, a citywide retrospecthat makes me feel somehow wanting." D. It is currently stored at Pouch TermiNoble made the life of the harbor his nal.(JohnA.NobleCollection,270Rich- tive of the life and work of Thomas own. New York's 700-odd miles of wa- mond Terrace, Staten Island NY 10301) Eakins (1844-1916) is providing a unique terfront he referred to as "rowopportunity for curators of the Philadelphia Maritime Muboat territory," and he was seum. Eakin ' s lifelong interpart of its workaday world of sailors, fishermen, longshoreest in rowing and sailing is not men, pilots, ship brokers and widely known, but was very tug captains, a community of real. After returning to Philapeople that has not forgotten delphia from art school, his passage through their Eakins joined a Schuykill world. River rowing club and became Beginning February of an active sailor, rower and next year the John A. Noble marshland hunter. He was also Collection will move from a keen observeroffishing and Noble's longtime residence on other river activities. RichmondTerracetotheSnug The Museum's new exhibiti on "Thomas Eakins; ReflecHarborCultural Center, which looks out on the busy port tions on the Water," complearea of the Kill Yan Kull. menting a larger Philadelphia "It was a difficult deciTwo recent additions to the John A. Noble Collection include Museum of Art exhibition sion," says John A. Noble "Soul of Sail", above, and "Topsail Sheet Hook", below. across town, neatly serves severa! museum objectives. Eakin paintCollection director Erin Urban , " leaving this house will be wrenching, but we ings, watercolors and photographs dehope to address not only John A. Noble's picting the bustling late 19th-century Philadelphia river life, are demonstrated rich contributions to the story of American maritime life, but also interpret the with boats from the museum's growing history of Sailor's Snug Harbor and other collection of traditional wooden craft, someconstructedatthemuseum 's WorkIsland collections." While the house with its very indishop on the Water. Eakins himselfowned vidual style-the porthole through the a Delaware ducker, a lapstrake doublefloor, the Hall of Hammers and Alleyended boat for sail and rowing. A ducker, way of Axes, the inscriptions on the railbird skiff, tuckup and rowing gig are all part of the exhibition which opened doors and the capstan on the porch-is more than mere space to hang pictures October 9 at the museum on Chestnut in, Snug Harbor embodies other dimen- For as long as the National Maritime Street in Philadelphia. D KH sions of Noble's life concerns. Twenty Historical Society has been publishing Exhibitions years ago, he was one of a small group of it, Sea History has printed a great deal Staten Islanders who were anxious about about marine art, regularly featuring art- September22-November 17, 1991 Mysthe fate of the former mariners' home ists, offering commentary and news of tic International, Mystic Maritime founded in 1833, but by the 1970s falling exhibitions. In a field that has grown Gallery's premier annual event, this year into ruin. " He said it should still belong vastly in recent years, we hope Sea His- showcasing over 120 pieces of work. to the seamen," says his friend NMHS tory has played a part, and now with the Mystic Maritime Gallery, Mystic CT President Peter Stanford. " His powerful NMHS move to much larger quarters on 06355; 203 572-8524. work in Snug Harbor's halls will imme- the banks of the Hudson we look forward diately make it a seaman's place again." to displaying the real thing in our new October 9-March 15, Thomas Eakins: Friends and collectors of John Noble gallery space. First and fittingly, an ex- Reflections on the Water. Philadelphia founded the Collection to promote and hibition and sale of William Gordon Maritime Museum, 321 Chestnut Street, preserve his work after his death in 1983, Muller's Hudson River oils opened Oc- Philadelphia PA 19106; 215 925-5439. but find that now, with a flourishing tober 12. Bill is the pre-eminent Hudson school progam, and national exhibitions, River artist and his life and work were November 17-December 31, Four Disthey don't have the room to do all they featured in our recent Hudson River is- tinguished Artists, featuring Trevor want to do. The Collection contains some sue (Summer 1991 ). Some of those deli- Chamberlain, Louis Dodd, Frank Wagner 79 lithographs, 600drawings, 6,000 pho- cate and detailed oils shown in that issue, and Rob Wadleigh.Mystic Maritime Galtos and 2,000 letters. The 5,000 square- depicting Hudson River scenes of the lery, Mystic CT 06355; 203 572-8524. SEA HISTORY 59, AUTUMN 1991
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