Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam is an oil painting by John Greenwood made between 1752-1758. It depicts a humorous scene in a tavern in Surinam, with many merchants and sea captains from Rhode Island enjoying themselves. It has been described as the first genre painting in American art history. The work was commissioned by the subjects while visiting the important trading ports in Surinam in the 1750s, probably for their own amusement. At the time, Greenwood was living in Surinam.
John Greenwood painted various prominent Rhode Island merchants in Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam, 1755
The subjects in the painting include Nicholas Cooke, sitting at the table smoking a pipe, speaking to Esek Hopkins; Joseph Wanton who has passed out in a chair, and Stephen Hopkins is pouring a drink (perhaps rum punch) from a porcelain bowl onto Wanton's head; and another unidentified figure is vomiting into his pocket. Cooke and Wanton were both later Governors of Rhode Island, Esek Hopkins was a commander in the Continental Navy from 1775 to 1778, and Founding Father Stephen Hopkins signed the US Declaration of Independence in 1776. Greenwood has also included a self-portrait, holding a candle by the doorway. "The man with his back to the table is Daniel Jenckes."[1] Two sailors are dancing, possibly "Nicholas Power [giving] a dancing lesson to young Godfrey Malbone,"[2] while others are sleeping, smoking pipes, or playing cards. Among the white merchants are several dark-skinned servants, possibly slaves, wearing few clothes and carrying drinks in large bowls.[3][4]
The painting was owned by the Jenckes family in Providence, Rhode Island from the 1750s until the 20th century.[5] It was bought in 1948 by the Saint Louis Art Museum, in St. Louis, Missouri. It is painted in oils on bed ticking and measures 37.75 by 75 inches (95.9 cm × 190.5 cm).
Referencesedit
^"Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam". 31 July 2020.
^"Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam". 31 July 2020.
^The Eighteenth Centuries Global Networks of Enlightenment by Cynthia Wall
^"Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam" by Robert Kenny in Rhode Island History, published by the Rhode Island Historical Society in November 1977
^"Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam". 31 July 2020.
External linksedit
Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam, c.1752-1758
Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam, Saint Louis Art Museum
Colonial American Merchants Satirized in Art, National Humanities Center, 2009
The New-York Historical Society to Open Its Renovated Home with the Pathbreaking Inaugural Exhibition Revolution!, New-York Historical Society, 23 June 2011
April 10, 2024
captains, carousing, surinam, painting, john, greenwood, made, between, 1752, 1758, depicts, humorous, scene, tavern, surinam, with, many, merchants, captains, from, rhode, island, enjoying, themselves, been, described, first, genre, painting, american, histor. Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam is an oil painting by John Greenwood made between 1752 1758 It depicts a humorous scene in a tavern in Surinam with many merchants and sea captains from Rhode Island enjoying themselves It has been described as the first genre painting in American art history The work was commissioned by the subjects while visiting the important trading ports in Surinam in the 1750s probably for their own amusement At the time Greenwood was living in Surinam John Greenwood painted various prominent Rhode Island merchants in Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam 1755The subjects in the painting include Nicholas Cooke sitting at the table smoking a pipe speaking to Esek Hopkins Joseph Wanton who has passed out in a chair and Stephen Hopkins is pouring a drink perhaps rum punch from a porcelain bowl onto Wanton s head and another unidentified figure is vomiting into his pocket Cooke and Wanton were both later Governors of Rhode Island Esek Hopkins was a commander in the Continental Navy from 1775 to 1778 and Founding Father Stephen Hopkins signed the US Declaration of Independence in 1776 Greenwood has also included a self portrait holding a candle by the doorway The man with his back to the table is Daniel Jenckes 1 Two sailors are dancing possibly Nicholas Power giving a dancing lesson to young Godfrey Malbone 2 while others are sleeping smoking pipes or playing cards Among the white merchants are several dark skinned servants possibly slaves wearing few clothes and carrying drinks in large bowls 3 4 The painting was owned by the Jenckes family in Providence Rhode Island from the 1750s until the 20th century 5 It was bought in 1948 by the Saint Louis Art Museum in St Louis Missouri It is painted in oils on bed ticking and measures 37 75 by 75 inches 95 9 cm 190 5 cm References edit Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam 31 July 2020 Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam 31 July 2020 The Eighteenth Centuries Global Networks of Enlightenment by Cynthia Wall Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam by Robert Kenny in Rhode Island History published by the Rhode Island Historical Society in November 1977 Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam 31 July 2020 External links editSea Captains Carousing in Surinam c 1752 1758 Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam Saint Louis Art Museum Colonial American Merchants Satirized in Art National Humanities Center 2009 The New York Historical Society to Open Its Renovated Home with the Pathbreaking Inaugural Exhibition Revolution New York Historical Society 23 June 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sea Captains Carousing in Surinam amp oldid 1217799669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
