Thomas Chambers

American, 1808 - 1866 or after

Explore selected works

This painting shows a park-like landscape with trees, flowers, bushes, and a pond, all surrounded by light brown paths. The pond is in the center of the park, with light green-blue water framed by bushes, ferns, and tall flowers. Across from the pond are three large, white structures that could be mausoleums. Behind them is a hill with trees and more white graves or mausoleums on top of it. On either side of the pond, past the paths that encircle it, are tall trees with leaves in shades of dark green and brown. On the right side is a tall white structure that could be a grave or a monument. At the bottom of the painting, the paths curve up over a small hill in front of the pond. In between the paths are sections of grass dotted with small pink and white flowers. On the right side of the painting, a couple walks down the hill towards the pond. The person on the left wears a long blue coat decorated with gold buttons and a large, plumed hat, while the person on the right wears a pink gown and blue bonnet. Above the scene, the sky is blue, with puffy white clouds.
Thomas Chambers, Mount Auburn Cemetery, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1958.5.1

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1958.5.1
The artwork depicts a scene of Boston Harbor with a maritime setting. Closest to us, a large ship is partially visible on the left, its sails lowered, and an American flag waves in the breeze. Beyond, several smaller sailboats navigate the choppy, greenish-blue waters, their sails catching the wind. In the distance, another ship sails towards the right, its sails fully unfurled and flags flying. The horizon is placed low in the composition, where a hill with a small building is visible under a softly colored sky. The sky is filled with dynamic, sweeping clouds and a gradient of pink and orange hues. The brushstrokes are smooth and detailed, capturing the movement of the water and the texture of the clouds. The overall color palette combines cool and warm tones, creating a visual contrast.
Thomas Chambers, Boston Harbor, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1980.62.4

Boston Harbor

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1980.62.4
This painting depicts a coastal scene with a perspective from the water. There are dark, billowing gray clouds above the horizon, and the sky is pale orange. Below, large sailboats are on the dark water, as well as some smaller rowboats and a few pieces of driftwood. The water reflects the ships and the colors of the sky. On the left is a low stone building on a bit of green land, and there is a green hill in the distance on the right, covered with houses and small buildings.
Thomas Chambers, Threatening Sky, Bay of New York, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1973.67.2

Threatening Sky, Bay of New York

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1973.67.2
This painting features a landscape with trees and foliage in dark greens, browns, and orange-red tones. In front of us, a steep mountain rises, covered with detailed trees in shades of green, orange, and yellow. Behind it, a river winds from left to right, the bank lined with more green trees and small white buildings, with several small white boats floating on the surface of the gray water. Behind the river are more mountains, some fading into the distance, painted in muted blues and greens. The blue sky has puffy clouds in shades of white, pale yellow, light gray, and darker gray.
Thomas Chambers, The Connecticut Valley, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1956.13.2

The Connecticut Valley

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1956.13.2
The artwork shows a packet ship sailing through New York Harbor, with Castle Williams on the left. The ship's sails are fully unfurled, moving through choppy, green-tinged waters. The sky has a mix of blue, pink, and orange tones. The clouds are voluminous and illuminated. Beyond the ship, other sailboats are visible, and a shoreline with structures and a hill is on the right. The horizon is low. The brushstrokes are smooth and detailed.
Thomas Chambers, Packet Ship Passing Castle Williams, New York Harbor, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1980.62.5

Packet Ship Passing Castle Williams, New York Harbor

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1980.62.5
This painting features a landscape with a winding dirt path surrounded by foliage. In the background, there are hills and mountains. On the left is row of buildings below tall brown cliffs, including a white church with a steeple. A body of water with sailboats can be seen in the distance on the right. The color palette is warm, with earthy tones including greens, browns, yellow, and oranges, with shades of pink and purple in the cloudy sky.
Thomas Chambers, Lake George and the Village of Caldwell, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1966.13.1

Lake George and the Village of Caldwell

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1966.13.1
The artwork depicts a maritime scene with a large ship prominently positioned close to us, its sails unfurled and an American flag waving at the stern. The ship is detailed with intricate rigging and is set against a sky transitioning from blue to a warm sunset hue. To the left, a fort-like structure sits on a small peninsula, with seagulls circling above. Beyond, additional ships with sails full are visible on the horizon, which is placed high in the composition. The water reflects the sky's colors, with gentle waves adding texture to the scene. The palette is a blend of soft blues, pinks, and warm earth tones.
Thomas Chambers, Bay of New York, Sunset, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1973.67.1

Bay of New York, Sunset

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1973.67.1
This painting shows a seascape with a sailing vessel on choppy green water. Our perspective is at sea level, parallel to the ship. The ship's three billowing yellow sails are detailed, and a few people can be seen on the deck of the ship, dressed in red, blue, and brown garments. The horizon shows distant green hills and cliffs with small white birds flying around them. More boats can be seen in the distance to the left and right. The cloudy sky above is painted in a soft gradient of pale yellows, pinks, and blues.
Thomas Chambers, Felucca off Gibraltar, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1968.26.2

Felucca off Gibraltar

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1968.26.2
Waves surge up the sides of a masted ship illuminated by moonlight in this horizontal painting. The bow is angled to our right, and a wave breaks onto the deck as the ship tips away from us. Two of the frigate’s masts are broken close to the deck so nothing of the sails remain, and only the lowest sail near the ship’s bow remains beneath a partially broken mast. The bowsprit, which angles up and diagonally off the bow, is also fragmented. Men pull on rigging or stand the gunwale at the edge of the deck. Other waves heave like mountains across the painting in shades of slate and gunmetal blue. The horizon comes about halfway up the composition, and muted, dark blue clouds edged with cream white swirl like a vortex around the full moon, which is in the upper left quadrant of the painting.
Thomas Chambers, Storm-Tossed Frigate, mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1969.11.1

Storm-Tossed Frigate

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1969.11.1
The image shows a maritime scene with multiple sailing ships at sea. The perspective is from slightly above water level, showing the sea, sky, and land meeting at the horizon. The closest ship has billowing sails, giving a sense of motion. The brushstrokes are deliberate and smooth, defining the sails and water. Light and shadow create a warm, colorful sky with pastel hues blending into blues and grays. An American flag flies from a fortification on the right-hand side. Other ships can be seen in the distance, adding depth to the scene. The flag's colors contrast with the background.
Thomas Chambers, New York Harbor with Pilot Boat "George Washington", mid 19th century, oil on canvas, Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, 1978.80.1

New York Harbor with Pilot Boat "George Washington"

Thomas Chambers · mid 19th century · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1978.80.1

Bibliography

1948

  • Little Nina Fletcher. "Earliest Signed Picture by T. Chambers." Antiques 53 (April 1948): 285.

  • Little, Nina Fletcher. "T. Chambers: Man or Myth?" Antiques 53 (March 1948): 194-196.

1951

  • Little, Nina Fletcher. "More about T. Chambers." Antiques 60 (November 1951): 469.

1956

  • Merritt, Howard S. "Thomas Chambers-Artist." New York History 37 (April 1956): 212-222.

1992

  • Chotner, Deborah, with contributions by Julie Aronson, Sarah D. Cash, and Laurie Weitzenkorn. American Naive Paintings. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1992: 43.