Joseph Heard (1799 - 1859) Oil Painting on canvas, Seascape with sailing ship, "In the Sandbach" A striking seascape with sailing ship titled "In The Sandbach" by British artist, Joseph Heard. Signed and dated 'Jos Heard 1830' lower left. With a title tag, "Sandbach, 434 tons of Liverpool, J. Bispham, master..." in wood frame, 13lbs Joseph Heard did oil on canvas paintings depicting ships on sailing seas and coming into harbor. Captains were capable recorders of their surroundings and though Heard had probably never visited some of the ports, sketches of them could have been provided by the ship’s masters. Busy harbors with legions of vessels provided ship portrait painters with the greatest possibility for commissions. Liverpool harbor was treed with masts. Emigrants coming to the United States provided an enduring procession of people escaping famine, economic distraught and religious persecution. At the height, nearly 4000 Irish immigrants alone, per day, booked passage on some ship bound for the United States. Joseph Heard was born in Egremont, Cumberland in February 1799, the son of a saddler also named Joseph. As a young man it is believed that Joseph received some tuition from the local portrait painter John Clementson (circa 1780 1841). In such a small artistic community Heard would almost certainly have met his fellow Whitchaven artists Robert Salmon and Henry Collins.In the mid 1820's Heard moved briefly to London and in 1826 he exhibited a portrait at the Whitehaven exhibition. On his return to Whitehaven he decided to take up marine painting full time, leaving his brother Isaac to concentrate on human portraiture. By 1834 the Heard brothers had moved south to the expanding city of Liverpool where they shared a studio. Joseph became a successful marine artist in Liverpool, being second only to Samuel Walters in popularity, and received a steady flow of commissions from the local fraternity. He remained there for the rest of his life, and died in Upper Pitt Street on 10th November, 1859 at the age of 60. The Merseyside Maritime Museum has in its collection the largest number of paintings by Joseph Heard, fourteen, and his works are also represented in the collections of the leading maritime museums in the United States. Approx.
Measurements: Painting 28.75 x 40 inches; frame 33.25 x 44.25 inches.
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Black light reveals two possible minor areas of restoration, one to the far right middle of the painting and one to the upper area near the sail, each approximately 1/2 inch x 1/3. inch. Both these spots appear light to the naked eye. There is general light crazing, most visible to the sails, which are visible from a close distance of less than two feet. Would greatly benefit from a cleaning. The painting carries registration number: 23321.The painting has been rebacked. It appears to have include the original stretcher. Frame has chipping and display wear.