Object Spotlight: Maritime Print
George Washington had an eye for maritime art, or so it would seem based on the Little Parlor, a small room mainly used as a music room on the ground floor of the Mansion. Here Washington hung six prints depicting maritime scenes such as “A Storm With Lightening,” which he purchased in Philadelphia in early 1797, shortly before his retirement.
Washington had an early fascination with maritime life. In 1746 Washington attempted to enlist in the British navy at the suggestion of his older half-brother, Lawrence Washington, but he abandoned this dream because of his mother’s strong objections. In fact, Washington made only one salt-water journey his whole life, when he accompanied his ailing half-brother on a voyage to Barbados, which was famed for its healthful climate.
Prior to 1797, many of the prints Washington owned were portraits or historical scenes, but his taste for art seemed to shift in 1797 when he began purchasing landscapes — both dramatic renderings of nature and ruins as well as picturesque and mythological scenes. “A Storm With Lightening” depicts two ships navigating through a raging sea at a moment when the clouds part and lightning strikes, breaking a ship’s main mast in half.
The present location of Washington’s original print is unknown, and it may not have survived. This 18th century print is from the same edition as Washington’s original.
Since part of Mount Vernon’s mission is to hold its collection in trust for future generations, conservation and preservation are topmost priorities. This and the other 18th century prints in the Little Parlor have recently been restored by a paper conservator and protected in sealed housing. They have also been framed in gilt because Washington’s correspondence indicates that he ordered gilt frames from Philadelphia later in 1797.
Object Spotlight is a regular feature on George Washington Wired that highlights some of the household belongings that Washington came into contact with in his daily life.
Purchase, 1936; A-81, M-93/Y
