A copy of the sketchbook and enlarged pages from Blunt’s small sketchbook will be displayed alongside several rare Piscataqua views painted by the artist. Pride of place goes to A View of Portsmouth, [NH], from Freeman's Point (on loan from Portsmouth City Hall), and the Launching of the Ship Washington (on loan from Historic New England), a painting of the first ship built by the United States Navy at the Portsmouth Shipyard, and six other works by Blunt.
“Sketchbooks of this age are rare for any American town, and virtually unique for Portsmouth. The artist’s descendants have generously loaned this sketchbook for the duration of the exhibit as part of the John S. Blunt Catalog Raisonné Project sponsored by the Portsmouth Athenaeum,” said exhibit curator Deborah Child, who is also project curator for John S. Blunt Catalog Raisonné Project and author of the full-color book The Sketchbooks of John Samuel Blunt. For detailed information about the project and the book, go to www.portsmouthathenaeum.org/blunt
This exhibition is fully funded by Winthrop L. Carter, Jr. Fund, New Hampshire Charitable Fund Piscataqua Region.
Gallery Talks
In conjunction with this exhibit Ms. Child will give four Saturday morning gallery talks in the John Paul Jones House Museum, each at 11 am.
