Lot Essay
Among the most accomplished of ship portrait painters in the Nineteenth century were the Walters, father and son. The father, Miles Walters, worked closely with Samuel, many of their paintings being signed jointly. Both went to sea like so many of the excellent portraitists and thus gained a first-hand working knowledge of the details of their subject.
Samuel originally painted in his native Liverpool but lived in London between 1845-1847. He was well represented in sixty-three London exhibitions during his career. Many of his paintings were accepted for exhibition at the Royal Academy between 1842 and 1862. A large majority of these were of general coastal subjects. Walters was the Dean of the Liverpool School of ship portrait painters active during the middle of the last century when the port was the busiest in Europe and the center of the emigrant trade. His work was characterized by an accuracy of detail, coupled with an artistic inspiration that sets him apart from his contemporaries.
Although Walters was not exclusively a painter of ship portraits (many of his works are seascapes and harbor scenes) he and his father can be considered Nineteenth century masters in their field. Samuel Walters died in Liverpool on March 5, 1882.
This painting of the medium clipper ship Adelaide exemplifies both the level of Walters' aesthetic accomplishments while also pointing to the importance of the artist in preserving the vessels and events comprising maritime history. The Adelaide was built by A. C. Bell, son of Jacob Bell, in New York at a cost of $128,000 and at a weight of 1831 tons American (1694 tons British). Her cargo carrying capacity amounted to some 3500 tons. Launched on November 20, 1854, under the command of Captain James Hamilton, the Adelaide began a twenty-year career of service under both the American and the British flags. By 1863 her ownership had transferred from the American builder and original owner to one Mr. Guion of England. By 1874 she appeared as hailing from Liverpool, being owned at the time by A. G. Linn. In 1875 she was reported lost at sea.
A number of interesting stories are associated with the Adelaide and her crew. During her third voyage, the crew of the Adelaide was embroiled in a couple of murder trials, the result of which found one of her crew hanged. The Adelaide also has the distinction of having two children born her commander's wife, who accompanied Captain Edgar Wakeman onboard during his four years of service on the Adelaide, while at sea--the first of whom they appropriately named Adelaide Seaborn.
Samuel originally painted in his native Liverpool but lived in London between 1845-1847. He was well represented in sixty-three London exhibitions during his career. Many of his paintings were accepted for exhibition at the Royal Academy between 1842 and 1862. A large majority of these were of general coastal subjects. Walters was the Dean of the Liverpool School of ship portrait painters active during the middle of the last century when the port was the busiest in Europe and the center of the emigrant trade. His work was characterized by an accuracy of detail, coupled with an artistic inspiration that sets him apart from his contemporaries.
Although Walters was not exclusively a painter of ship portraits (many of his works are seascapes and harbor scenes) he and his father can be considered Nineteenth century masters in their field. Samuel Walters died in Liverpool on March 5, 1882.
This painting of the medium clipper ship Adelaide exemplifies both the level of Walters' aesthetic accomplishments while also pointing to the importance of the artist in preserving the vessels and events comprising maritime history. The Adelaide was built by A. C. Bell, son of Jacob Bell, in New York at a cost of $128,000 and at a weight of 1831 tons American (1694 tons British). Her cargo carrying capacity amounted to some 3500 tons. Launched on November 20, 1854, under the command of Captain James Hamilton, the Adelaide began a twenty-year career of service under both the American and the British flags. By 1863 her ownership had transferred from the American builder and original owner to one Mr. Guion of England. By 1874 she appeared as hailing from Liverpool, being owned at the time by A. G. Linn. In 1875 she was reported lost at sea.
A number of interesting stories are associated with the Adelaide and her crew. During her third voyage, the crew of the Adelaide was embroiled in a couple of murder trials, the result of which found one of her crew hanged. The Adelaide also has the distinction of having two children born her commander's wife, who accompanied Captain Edgar Wakeman onboard during his four years of service on the Adelaide, while at sea--the first of whom they appropriately named Adelaide Seaborn.