I Must Go Down to the Sea: Seascape and Marine Paintings
from the Permanent Collection

May 25, 2005, Reading, PA – The Reading Public Museum presents I Must Go Down to
the Sea: Seascapes and Marine Paintings from the Permanent Collection, an exhibition featuring works from Marine art and seascapes’ most noted American painters. The exhibition is part of an ongoing series planned to be on display throughout the next five years in the American Gallery, and will feature works from the Museum’s permanent collection of oil, acrylic and mixed media paintings. Museum Director and CEO Roth Roth stated, “These mini-exhibits are designed to highlight outstanding works from the Museum’s permanent collections…many of which have seldom been on exhibit.” Seascapes and Marines will be in the American Gallery from May 28, 2005 through January 22, 2006 and will include artists such as James Hamilton, Frederick J. Waugh, Andrew Wyeth and Franklin Dullin Briscoe.



“Recently, as part of a complete review of the Museum’s entire collection of 850 paintings, it became clear that we had an impressive number of marine art and seascapes painted by some of the most prominent American masters in this genre. The coastal areas of the mid-Atlantic region enjoy wide popularity by local people, and it seemed an appropriate type of exhibition given this interest and the strength in this part of the collection,” explained Roth. First in this series, Pennsylvania Beauty featured the work of Pennsylvania Impressionists.

The American tradition of Marine painting covers a broad array of imagery and content related to the ocean and coastal areas. American artists turned to established British and Dutch Marine painting traditions for inspiration on themes and stylistic direction. James Hamilton, a self-taught painter, known as the most talented Marine artist of his time, was influenced by British painter J.M.W. Turner. Hamilton’s 1860 oil painting entitled The Approaching Storm will be among exhibited works. Like Turner, he illustrates the sublime effects of light and atmosphere by painting brilliant white clouds over a roiling ocean. His observations of nature and light aided him in creating his remarkable pieces. Other Hamilton paintings in the exhibit include The Approach of Evening and At Sea.

I Must Go Down to the Sea: Seascapes and Marine Paintings from the Permanent Collection will contain the 1900 oil painting Amber, Jade and Amethyst by Frederick J. Waugh. In his paintings, Waugh focused his work on the light, color and motion of waves as they break against the shoreline. Also on exhibit will be Andrew Wyeth’s 1944 coastal setting, Low Water, featuring Halsey Flint pulling up a lobster pot. Additional pieces include Franklin Dullin Briscoe’s Marine and To the Rescue, James Brade Sword’s The Shores of Conanicut, Henry Ward Ranger’s On Long Island Sound, Frits Thaulow’s The Ship’s Wake and Frank Rehn’s A Passing Shower.

The Reading Public Museum’s regular hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11a.m. to 5p.m.; Wednesday 11a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday Noon to 5p.m. Regular Museum admission is $7 for adults (ages 18 - 60) and $5 for seniors/children/student (with ID). Museum Members and children under 4 are free.