Sailboats near Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
July 12–13, 1859
Classification
drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Louis P. Church
Accession Number
1917-4-513
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Frederic Edwin Church, master of the Hudson River School created *Sailboats near Newfoundland Labrador, Canada* during a pivotal scientific expedition on July 12–13, 1859. Accompanying naturalist Louis Agassiz study glaciers and Arctic landscapes, Church ventured to the rugged coasts of Labrador. This on-the-spot drawing captures sailboats navigating the dramatic waters, reflecting his passion for documenting nature's grandeur amid exploration. As a preliminary sketch, the work Church's meticulous observation and technique, hallmarks of his studies for grand oil paintings like *Icebergs* (1861), inspired by the same trip. Though the medium is unknown, its classification as a drawing highlights the intimacy of fieldwork—far from the studio's polish—offering a rare glimpse into the artist's process during America's era of scientific discovery and Manifest Destiny. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum through a gift from Church's son, Louis P. Church, this piece underscores the artist's role in blending art and science. Visitors will appreciate its fresh, unvarnished energy, evoking the thrill of 19th-century adventure on Canada's wild shores. (178 words)