Boston Harbor

1843

Robert Salmon

Associated Names
Robert Salmon

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

This painting shows a seascape with sailboats and ships on the water. On the left is a small boat with its sails tied and several people aboard. A larger ship with unfurled sails and an American flag is in the center. On the right is the tallest sailing ship, with billowing white sails and a red-and-white flag atop its masts. There are more boats visible in the distance to the left and right, and they all have people faintly visible on their decks. The horizon is low against the sky, revealing a distant shoreline with buildings and trees on the left. The color palette is warm and muted, with soft browns, creams, and grays dominating the scene. The ocean below is a gray-green color with small waves, and the sky above is cloudy and gray.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Private collection; sold March 1955 through (Victor D. Spark, New York) to the Corcoran Gallery of Art; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1961

  • Loan for display at the White House, Washington, 3 February 1961 - 9 December 1963.

1963

  • Progress of an American Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 25 October - 29 December 1963, unpublished checklist.

1966

  • Past and Present: 250 Years of American Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1966, unpublished checklist.

  • Loan for display at the Reception Hall, U.S. Department of State, Washington, 1966-1989.

2008

  • The American Evolution: A HIstory through Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 2008, unpublished checklist.

2013

  • American Journeys: Visions of Place, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 21 September 2013 - 28 September 2014, unpublished checklist.

Bibliography

2011

  • Wagner, Ann Prentice. "Robert Salmon, Boston Harbor." In Corcoran Gallery of Art: American Paintings to 1945. Edited by Sarah Cash. Washington, 2011: 86-87, 259-260, repro.

Inscriptions

reverse: R.S.A.T. / by R. Salmon [obscured] / 1843 / 1837 [crossed out]

Wikidata ID

Q46627499

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