To The Rescue

Franklin D. Briscoe established his artistic reputation with masterful renderings of marine views, such as this striking painting of a group of ships at sea. The drama of the scene is enhanced by the tumultuous clouds, silvery filtered moonlight, figures aboard a small rowboat, and the choppy sea. The mast of a sunken ship is visible in the foreground.

Briscoe was born in Baltimore in 1844.  At the age of four, his family moved to Philadelphia where Briscoe trained with eminent marine artist Thomas Moran.  He traveled to Europe to study the masters in London and Paris. He was a versatile artist whose work included history painting and portraiture as well as seascapes.  Traveling by ship all over the world many times on extended voyages, Briscoe found many marine subjects.