GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Born in London, Thomas Chambers was a painter who emigrated to American in 1832. After 1840, he painted primarily landscapes and riverscapes, moving between New York City and upstate New York, along the Hudson River. Eastport, Passamaquoddy Bay (View of Hudson Valley) is typical of his mature work, characterized by clear, luminous color and rhythmic composition.
This boldly colored, fanciful scene depicts the town of Eastport, Maine, and Passamaquoddy Bay, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, dividing the United States and Canada. The work is based on an engraving found in Nathaniel Parker Willis’s American Scenery (1840), an illustrated guidebook to the natural wonders of the young United States. Thomas Chambers eliminated all human figures from the scene and changed the position and number of ships. Such a strategy was typical of the artist, whose marine paintings and landscapes are an unusual combination of compositions borrowed from other artists’ engravings, as well as from his own observation.
Adapted from
- William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label text, 2008
- DMA unpublished material
NOTES
Created in 1840-1860
Object file reviewed
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Chambers, Thomas (British born American, 1808-1860)
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location: Eastport (Maine/United States): TGN: 2044767
Depicted location: Passamaquoddy Bay: TGN: 7023637
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Before 1956: Hirschl & Adler, New York
1956-at least 1974: Faith P. Bybee on consignment from the above [1]
Until 1992: The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Collection, Houston Texas
From 1992: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the above
The main source for this provenance was correspondence in the collection records. The object file indicates that Faith P. Bybee received the painting from the MFA Houston.
[1] Letter dated October 10, 1973 from Stuart P. Feld, lawyer for Faith P. Bybee, states that this painting was not purchased on consignment. Other verification unavailable.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- American Folk Art Museum~Explore more art by Thomas Chambers from the 2009-2010 exhibition Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Marine and Landscape Painter.
- Thomas Chambers, Biography~Read a biography of Thomas Chambers from the National Gallery of Art.
- Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine, Victor de Grailly~View another example of a painting of Passamaquoddy Bay.
- Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay, William Henry Bartlett~Check out this engraving by William Henry Bartlett that both Chambers and de Grailly used as inspiration.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1992.B.52
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General Description
Born in London, Thomas Chambers was a painter who emigrated to American in 1832. After 1840, he painted primarily landscapes and riverscapes, moving between New York City and upstate New York, along the Hudson River. Eastport, Passamaquoddy Bay (View of Hudson Valley) is typical of his mature work, characterized by clear, luminous color and rhythmic composition.
This boldly colored, fanciful scene depicts the town of Eastport, Maine, and Passamaquoddy Bay, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, dividing the United States and Canada. The work is based on an engraving found in Nathaniel Parker Willis’s American Scenery (1840), an illustrated guidebook to the natural wonders of the young United States. Thomas Chambers eliminated all human figures from the scene and changed the position and number of ships. Such a strategy was typical of the artist, whose marine paintings and landscapes are an unusual combination of compositions borrowed from other artists’ engravings, as well as from his own observation.
Adapted from
- William Keyse Rudolph, DMA label text, 2008
- DMA unpublished material
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- American Folk Art Museum~Explore more art by Thomas Chambers from the 2009-2010 exhibition Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Marine and Landscape Painter.
- Thomas Chambers, Biography~Read a biography of Thomas Chambers from the National Gallery of Art.
- Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine, Victor de Grailly~View another example of a painting of Passamaquoddy Bay.
- Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay, William Henry Bartlett~Check out this engraving by William Henry Bartlett that both Chambers and de Grailly used as inspiration.
Notes
Created in 1840-1860
Object file reviewed
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Chambers, Thomas (British born American, 1808-1860)
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location: Eastport (Maine/United States): TGN: 2044767
Depicted location: Passamaquoddy Bay: TGN: 7023637
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Before 1956: Hirschl & Adler, New York
1956-at least 1974: Faith P. Bybee on consignment from the above [1]
Until 1992: The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Collection, Houston Texas
From 1992: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the above
The main source for this provenance was correspondence in the collection records. The object file indicates that Faith P. Bybee received the painting from the MFA Houston.
[1] Letter dated October 10, 1973 from Stuart P. Feld, lawyer for Faith P. Bybee, states that this painting was not purchased on consignment. Other verification unavailable.
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1992.B.52
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object_notes_3_c-0002.xml.nores