e-Newsletter | February 19, 2021 |
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John Samuel Blunt: Marine Artist |
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John Samuel Blunt, 1798-1835, Self Portrait, Oil on canvas, Private Collection |
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Two large early 19th century ship portraits grace the first floor, center hall of the Cushing House. Unlike many of the museum's collections, they were not the work of a Newburyport artist although they have been in this maritime city for most of their existence.
The Ship-of-the-line Washington and the Frigate Constitution are both the work of Portsmouth, New Hampshire artist John Samuel Blunt (1798-1835). Blunt came from a long line of American mariners.
His grandfather, Captain John Blunt, was responsible for piloting George Washington's boat across the ice-choked Delaware River on that fabled Christmas night in December 1776.
His father, Mark Samuel Blunt was also a mariner and lieutenant of the privateer Portsmouth lost off the coast of Madeira in 1815.
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Growing up in a bustling port city, it is no surprise that the artist Blunt found inspiration in the city's wharves and shipyards. One of his first ambitious paintings was of the Washington being launched from the Portsmouth Navy Yard in 1814. The painting is now in the collections of Historic New England.
Although only 16 years old at the time, it made a major impression on the young Blunt and one on which the artist capitalized over the years. His paintings helped to support his mother Mary Drowne Blunt* who ran a boarding house after the death of her husband. 1815 found Blunt in Boston where he apprenticed with John Ritto Penniman from whom he learned ornamental painting and honed his skills in other aspects of painting as well.
In 1821, Blunt married Esther Peake Colby of Newburyport and returned to Portsmouth where he set up a studio and advertised painting portraits including miniatures, landscapes, seascapes and ship portraits. His daily work extended to gilding and painting on fire buckets, signs and ship figureheads. By 1825 he had opened a school for the instruction of art.
Seeking to better support his family, the Blunts moved to Boston in 1831. He purchased a house on Castle Street and opened a studio at 54 Cornhill. By 1835, Blunt was on the move again to transport his family to land in Texas that he had purchased. Sadly, that never came to pass as he died at sea, due to yellow fever, on board the vessel Ohio between New Orleans and Boston.
About the Paintings
The story of how the paintings came into the collections of the Museum of Old Newbury is an interesting one.
The Newburyport Marine Society, founded in 1772, was in its heyday in the mid 19th century with over 200 members. In 1851, the group established a small museum in their rooms on State Street with donations from members and members' families.
Many of these were curiosities from around the globe, but there were also numerous half models and ship portraits. According to the history of the society published in 1906 by William H. Bayley, a gift of "1 oil painting of frigate Constitution; 1 oil painting of frigate Washington" were given by Rufus Wills.
By 1919 only four members of the society were still living, and the decision was made to dissolve the organization and give the collections to the Historical Society of Old Newbury.
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Newburyport Marine Society Room in which a small museum was created. Note the painting of the Washington hanging above the fireplace. Editor's observation: clearly the society was run by mariners and not curators! |
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The 90-gun Ship-of-the-line was authorized by the United States Congress in January 1813 and was built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard under a contract with the shipbuilders, Hart and Badger.
The ship was launched on October 1, 1814, and was commissioned at Portsmouth on August 26, 1815, with Captain John Orde Creighton in command.
After fitting out, the Washington sailed for Boston on 3 December 1815. In the spring of the following year, she arrived in Annapolis, Maryland, where she was viewed by numerous prominent guests including President and Mrs. James Madison.
For the next two years, the Washington operated in the Mediterranean as flagship of the American squadron, providing protection from the Barbary states.
She returned home in 1818 and remained at New York as Commodore Chauncey's flagship until 1820. Placed "in ordinary" that year, the ship-of-the-line remained inactive until she was broken up in 1843.
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The USS Constitution, a three-masted frigate and the oldest ship commissioned by the US Navy, was built in 1794 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston's North End and launched in 1797.
Today, she is berthed at Charlestown Navy Yard, the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy still afloat.
She played a significant role in the First Barbary War, but her greatest triumphs came during the War of 1812 when she defeated four British warships. The most storied of these is her battle with HMS Guerriere earning her the moniker "Old Ironsides."
The Constitution was retired from active service in 1881 and designated as a museum ship in 1907.
*Editor's note: On his mother's side of the family, John S. Blunt was a direct descendant of Shem Drowne (1683-1774), America's first documented weathervane maker whose weathercock is on exhibit in the museum's second floor meetinghouse gallery.
Inconsistencies in spelling of names, etc., are from the historical record and not a typographical error.
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Learn about upcoming programs, register, find Zoom links and catch up on previous presentations here. |
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Miss a Recent MOON Program? Watch here. |
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Thanks to the wonder of the Zoom platform, all of our programs are recorded and available online shortly after presentation. Visit our website for upcoming events, previous recordings, including the four 2020 Virtual Garden Tours, our Annual Meeting, children's and holiday programs, as well as all episodes of "Yeat Yeat, Don't Tell Me!"
In lieu of a printed program book, we will be featuring monthly events here, as well as maintaining a complete list on our website: www.NewburyHistory.org.
All of our virtual programs are free, however donations are gratefully accepted to help defray speaker fees.
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Jack Santos, Custom House Maritime Museum, and Colleen Turner, Museum of Old Newbury, invite you to Zoom in for today's fast-paced, fact-filled episode of "Yeat Yeat, Don't Tell Me!"
The popular trivia show is an amalgamation of NPR's Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me!, Jeopardy! and Stump Trivia.
Santos and Secino offer a new take on Q&A game shows format, especially designed for Zoom and today’s stay-at-home world.
Show off your Newbury-area historical chops, win great prizes and maybe learn something from (or teach something to) your hosts.
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Don't Miss our Next Program: It's not too late to Register!
February 25, 2021: Newbury and Warfare on the New England Frontier, 1689-1748. Presented by Dr. Steven C. Eames, director of history and interdisciplinary studies at Mount Ida College. His research will focus on the effect of war on soldiers and civilians, with a focus on early American history. He is the author of Rustic Warriors: Warfare and the Provincial Soldier on the New England Frontier, 1689-1748 (New York University Press). Register here.
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March Programs...Register Now! |
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REGISTER: Thursday, March 11, 2021
More than a Tea Party: Tea's Social & Political Symbolism. Talia Jachimowicz, '21, The Governor's Academy, takes a look at tea, taxes and the American Revolution.
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REGISTER: Thursday, March 25, 2021
Naomi Wade: A British Woman in 18th Century New England. Meet an 18th century woman from London who became a camp follower with a British Regiment during the American War for Independence.
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Puzzle Me This...
The MOON is home to numerous sewing notions, spanning more than two centuries. From the collections of the Museum of Old Newbury. Editor's note: Now that's a pin-cushion!
Click on the image to begin.
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Something is Always Cooking at the Museum
This broth-and-fresh-tomato-based sauce gets its richness from a mere couple tablespoons of heavy cream. Served with a lightly dressed arugula and shaved parmesan salad, Sharon Neville delivers a winner.
Chicken with Vodka Sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup sliced scallion
Season cutlets with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Coat a sauté pan with nonstick spray. Add oil and heat over medium-high. Sauté cutlets on both sides. Transfer to a platter; pour off fat from the pan. Away from heat, deglaze pan with vodka; return to heat and cook until nearly evaporated. Add broth and lemon juice. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate. Stir tomato and cream into sauce. Heat through. Pour over cutlets. Garnish with scallions. Serves 2.
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During this difficult period of COVID-19, we rely on your support more than ever. We are working to reschedule many of the programs that we have had to postpone, as well as develop new, online programs for you to enjoy and keep us connected. We hope, if you are able, that you will consider a donation to the museum. Thank you for your continued support.
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generosity of our sponsors:
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Museum of Old Newbury
98 High Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-462-2681
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