Quirk Watercolor of Boats in a Harbor

This is the third and final post on the recent influx of images graciously provided by a collector of Francis Quirk's art. 

This rather loosely painted watercolor image features a man in a dory containing a lobster trap in the foreground, a fishing trawler as the dominant image and a background of wharf buildings beneath an overcast sky.  It was painted in 1937. The content reflects the time when fishing vessels were migrating from sail to engine power and lobster traps were still made of wood. 

1937 Watercolor Painting of Fishing Boats in Harbor by Francis Quirk

We do not know the location of the port. It probably was near Quirk's Maine home in Kinney Shores, so it could be Kennebunkport or Saco.  We have seen a building similar to the one at the right of the painting in another Quirk watercolor. while both are gray with an ascending exterior stairway, the roofs and fenestration are different. That painting is shown below.

Quirk Nautical Painting- The Black Star

As part of our ongoing quest to track-down the work of Francis Quirk we share the image of the Black Star- a three masted schooner under full sail. The ship is painted from the aft-starboard point of-view in moderate seas with a sky filled with billowing clouds.

The Black Star by Francis Quirk

Unlike the ship in our previous post, we were not able to find any information on a schooner by this name.  Interestingly, there was a shipping line established by an African American entrepreneur named Marcus Garvey that operated from 1919-1922. The name being a play on the famous Cunard White Star line that included the Titanic. 

More Francis Quirk Art Comes to Light- Watercolor Painting of the Abraham Rydberg

Through relatives of Francis Quirk we have obtained more watercolor nautical images. 

This post is devoted to the watercolor painting of the bow of the Abraham Rydberg. The work is reminiscent of another watercolor discussed in an earlier post. This painting was executed in 1941 when the ship had been in service for almost 30 years. And with the advent of World War II, her days as a merchant vessel were numbered.  Like many of Quirk's other maritime paintings we can see his attention to detail in the handling of the rigging and the anchor chain. 

Francis J. Quirk Watercolor Painting of the Abraham Rydberg

The Abraham Rydberg was a four masted, steel Barque built in Glasgow Scotland in 1892 as a vessel to bring Sugar from Hawaii to the mainland.  As late as the 1930's the ship was still in commercial service carrying grain between Sweden and Australia; making the trip in 105 days each way. It was later acquired by the US Coast Guard (1945?) and renamed "The Seven Seas." In 1957 it was broken up for scrap. 

Photograph of the Abraham Rydberg Under Sail.