On the deck of the 1885 Wavertree at South Street Seaport in late October, Captain Brian McAllister, chairman of McAllister Towing and NMHS overseer, stood in the wind to eulogize his old friend, acclaimed marine painter Os Brett, who died this summer at the age of 96. McAllister reminisced that he had first seen an Os Brett painting of the Wavertree in the old Whitehall Club. Recognizing Os’s talent, he would commission many paintings from the artist over the years and the two men became friends. McAllister, a lifelong New York tugboat captain in charge of a fifthgeneration towing company, found much to talk about with the artist, who had spent his younger days shipping out under square rig and aboard freighters and troop ships. From the same spot on Wavertree’s deck, artist John Stobart had just spoken of how much he learned The Full-Rigged Ship Wavertree of Liverpool, 1885 oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches (1968) about merchant ships from Os. While both men had known success through their art depicting ships of a bygone era, it was Os who had the seagoing experience, and whom Stobart credits with having taught him much about merchant vessels and the way of a ship at sea. Through his long friendship with our long-time president Peter Stanford and our friend Captain Howard Hill, Os became a great friend to the National Maritime Historical Society. He attended many of our events over the years, and was very generous with his art to further the cause of preserving our maritime heritage. We have his prints gracing the walls at NMHS headquarters. One of his Wavertree prints has always been in my office; every time I look up, I see the ship powering through a storm-tossed sea, reminding me of the strength and meaning in our seafaring heritage and of those who have dedicated their lives to preserving it. —Burchenal Green, President, NMHS
oswald brett art images courtesy of halstead press, sydney
A Celebration of the Life and Art of Oswald Brett, Seafarer and Marine Painter
Oswald Longfield Brett (1921–2017) by Stan Stefaniak The measure of a good artist is usually determined in terms of considering his or her drawing ability, use of color and tonal values, and of course the structuring of compositions in their paintings. Oswald Brett did fulfill these criteria very well; however, Os was not just another good artist. He was an extraordinary artist who touched the soul and immediately made a deep connection with the viewer of his artwork. Oswald magically conveyed the narrative within his paintings and elicited an emotion that will be appreciated by generations to come. Born 3 April 1921 in Cheltenham, New South Wales, Oswald Longfield Brett spent much time sketching ships in Sydney Harbor and imagining the day when he could go to sea. He also drew inspiration for painting from his mother Estelle Brett (née Mutton), a talented amateur portrait and landscape artist. Both Estelle and Oswald’s sister Judith encouraged him with his painting from childhood. Os knew at an early age that he would be a professional artist, concentrating entirely on ships and the sea. As a teenager, Os was greatly inspired by the work of masterful Sydney marine artist John Allcot (1888–1973), who became his mentor and lifelong friend. Os’s great interest in marine painting and determination to become a professional artist were already firmly established, and, following Allcot’s example, he sought a berth on sailing ships to experience first-hand what he would spend his lifetime depicting in art. (continued on page 32) 30
SEA HISTORY 161, WINTER 2017–18