Rockaway Beach, New York, with the Wreck of the Ship "Bristol"
| Artist | Thomas Chambers (English, 1808–1869) |
|---|---|
| Title | Rockaway Beach, New York, with the Wreck of the Ship "Bristol" |
| Date | Ca. 1837–1840 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | Support: 21 3/4 x 30 3/8 in. (55.2 x 77.2 cm) |
| Credit Line | Morton and Marie Bradley Memorial Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 98.44 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A large ship wrecks on a rocky beach while a figure in sand watches on. The water cascades onto the beach while the ship tilts to its side. Several ships and dark clouds can be seen in the background.
The self-taught artist Thomas Chambers based many of his paintings on topographical prints or events appearing in the news. This work depicts the 1836 wreck of an immigrant ship, the Bristol, off the coast of Long Island, a catastrophe that claimed the lives of seventy-seven people. Despite its contemporary relevance, Chambers imbued the image with a sense of timelessness by including a contemplative figure—a hallmark of early nineteenth-century romantic painting—on the beach.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Rockaway Beach, New York, with the Wreck of the Ship "Bristol" | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=98.44