The Ship "Favorite" Maneuvering Off Greenock

1819

Robert Salmon

Associated Names
Robert Salmon

Artist, American, born England, 1775 - c. 1845

This painting depicts a maritime scene with several large sailing ships, viewed from a slightly elevated perspective. The horizon is low in the painting, creating a wide expanse of sky above the ships and distant coastline with hills, trees, and a line of small buildings. In the center of the painting, a large ship faces the right, with several large white sails, blue flags, and red banners. One flag has the word "FAVORITE" visible as it ripples in the wind. Small people line the deck of this ship, and more people are visible in small row boats that float next to it. There are two other large ships to the left and right, as well as smaller rowboats and sailboats. The light blue sky is cloudy, and the water below the ships is pale green with soft white waves.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Paul Mellon Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 76.2 x 128.3 cm (30 x 50 1/2 in.)
    framed: 96.5 x 149.9 x 9.8 cm (38 x 59 x 3 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1981.54.1

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Donaldson Line, Glasgow; (their housesale, Glasgow, 1967); (M.A. Alexander Fine Arts Ltd., Glasgow); Ulrik Richter, London;[1] sold April 1969 to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia; gift 1981 to NGA.
[1] The early provenance was provided by Mr. Richter (letter of 18 March 1982) and Michael Alexander (letter of 6 May 1982), both letters in NGA curatorial files. Donaldson Line was a shipping company.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1986

  • Gifts to the Nation: Selected Acquisitions from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1986, unnumbered checklist.

1990

  • Glasgow's Glasgow: The Words and the Stones, The Arches, Glasgow, Scotland, 1990, not in cat.

1999

  • An Enduring Legacy: Masterpieces from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1999-2000, no cat.

2005

  • Extended loan for use by Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 2005-2007.

2007

  • Extended loan for use by Attorney General Michael Mukasey, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 2007-2008.

2018

  • Extended loan for use by Secretary Alex M. Azar II, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., 2018-2021.

Bibliography

1988

  • Wilmerding, John. American Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art. Rev. ed. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1988: 15, repro.

1992

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1992: 330, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: RS 1819

Wikidata ID

Q20184183

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