Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Henry O'Neil - The Last Farewell


oil on canvas
28 x 36"


In 1861 Henry Nelson O'Neil endeavoured to repeat the success that he had achieved with Eastward Ho! August 1857 (private collection), by exhibiting The Parting Cheer (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich), which relates closely to the present painting. It is not clear whether The Last Farewell is a study for, or an earlier version of The Parting Cheer, but it differs significantly from the larger picture and is a complete composition.

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