9th Century Silk Embroidered and Hand Painted Yacht Portrait by Thomas Willis, ca 1890

19th Century Silk Embroidered and Hand Painted Yacht Portrait by Thomas Willis (Danish-American: 1850 – 1925), circa 1890, a seascape with the schooner-rigged racing yacht CALYPSO with all sails set, closely hauled on a starboard tack, flying an owner’s flag, burgee and an American yacht ensign, with crewmen visible at helm and on on deck, sailing past a lighthouse with keeper’s cottage on wooded bluff abaft the stern, titled lower center and signed lower right. Mounted in a carved and gilded gallery frame and retains a label from the Quester Gallery. As usual with Willis the fine detail is exquisitge.

The sails, hull and rigging are of silk that has been hand-stitched through the canvas backing. The background seascape was likely painted by Willis himself (others were sometimes painted by friends such as Antonio Jacobsen), and has a bow wave and wake made from bunched silk threads applied along the waterline.

The embroidery and painting, silk material and frame all remain in fine condition.

While his work is well known, the circumstances of the artist himself are not widely known. Although currently listed as having been born in Connecticut, there is ample evidence that he was born in Denmark and emigrated to CT as a young man. There are pervasive rumors that he lied and worked in New York City for a silk importer or a manufacturer of embroidery thread, which lead to his unique art form; however, his style and technique was fully developed while still living in Europe. Rumors aside, it is well documented that he worked prolifically creating portraits of yachts and steamers on commission for members of the American, New York and Corinthian Yacht Clubs, as well as others. His earliest work tended to be on plain colored silk backgrounds; soon his work featured oil painting on canvas backgrounds, thought to originally have been done for him by friends such as the renown marine artist Antonio Jacobsen (who shared many of the same clients). It is believed that these artists taught Willis how to paint for himself, eventually becoming quite adept. As such, the painted backgrounds on Willis’ work can vary from the still somewhat amateurish to the frankly sublime.

Willis was somewhat haphazard in signing his work: some are signed by name in lower corner, some by initials only, some are signed on the reverse only, some bear paper labels on the reverse with name and a caution to keep out of direct sunlight, and many are not signed at all. He was however the only artist working in this unique medium and style, and his art is unmistakable and irrefutable.

Measures: 11-1/2 in high x 13-3/8 in wide.
Framed: 17-1/2 in high x 19-1/24 in wide.