Kennebunkport, the ANNA F. SCHMIDT in Maine, 1854

oil, 15" x 22"

$150,000

This painting is included in the coffee table book on John’s paintings, "Stobart: The World of Sail and Steam."

The origination of this painting is a perfect example of Stobart’s ability to transport us into the past. Given as a gift several pages of the ship's manifest of the ANNA F. SCHMIDT, Stobart began to imagine what the building of her might have been like in 1854. Using a vintage map of Kennebunkport, where she had been built, as well as early etchings of the area, he set about re-creating the Daniel and Stephen Ward shipyard. Just above the Congregational Church (still standing today) on the east bank of the Kennebunkport River where the construction of the 162 foot vessel took place. This painting is a charming vignette of New England life in 19th century Maine. As shipyard workers are beginning to remove the scaffolding around the ship while two men sit across the bank fishing and watching the events. Notable in the scene is the lack of trees, as most were cut down to use in the buildings of the ship!