The Los Angeles Maritime Museum celebrates “Art of the Sea” By Writer and Contributor Marifrances Trivelli
The USS Maryland and the USS New Mexico form the "backbone of sea power" in this watercolor from the collection of the Irvine Museum.
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum's featured exhibit is "Arthur Beaumont: Art of the Sea". Beaumont, a formally trained artist who served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy in the 1930s, was appointed as "official artist of the United States Fleet". But if this moniker brings to mind only images of sea battles, you are in for a surprise! Arthur Beaumont was equally skilled in depicting scenes from nature, portraits, and a variety of watercraft. His eye for detail, skillful use of color, and opportunity to witness seminal events of the twentieth century resulted in an impressive scope of work that has become very popular with museum visitors.
While on assignment to Antartica in 1973, Beaumont painted the icebreaker USS Glacier and the attack cargo ship USS Arneb. It was during this time that Beaumont permanently injured his right arm while being rescued from a fall, and as a result taught himself to paint with his left hand. (Watercolor, Los Angeles Maritime Museum Collection)
The exhibit is produced by the Irvine Museum, and curated by its director, James Irvine Swinden. "Art of the Sea" includes works from the collection of the Irvine Museum, the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, US Naval History and Heritage Command, the Beaumont family, and several private collectors.
Depicting the arrival of RMS Queen Mary to Long Beach was one of Beaumont's most difficult paintings to execute, due to the large number of portholes and the need to painstakingly depict each one. "The Last Voyage of the Queen Mary, in the company of the USS Long Beach">(Watercolor, Beaumont Family Collection)
"Untitled: A California Coast Seascape" is one of the few oil paintings included in the exhibit. (Oil: Irvine Museum Collection)
It will be on view through June 9th, and the Los Angeles Maritime Museum is the final stop of this multi-year traveling exhibit. Visit www.lamaritimemuseum.org for details, and be sure to visit Wednesday – Sunday, 12-5
As the Navy's official artist, Beaumont enjoyed VIP access to events such as the Groton, Connecticut launch of USS Nautilus, the country's first nuclear-powered submarine. Due to security concerns, tarps covered most of the hull, so Beaumont sketched from a launch in the Thames River. He later completed the painting in his Los Angeles studio. The painting was originally gifted to Mamie Eisenhower, wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. (Watercolor: US Naval History and Heritage Command)
About the Author:
Marifrances Trivelli is the Director of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, which preserves and shares the history of the Port of Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A in History from the University of Connecticut, and is a graduate of the Getty Museum Management Institute. Marifrances is a board member of the Council of American Maritime Museums, the Salvation Army Torrance Corps Advisory Board, the US Lighthouse Society, and serves on the City of Torrance’s Historic Preservation Commission. She invites all readers of the Palos Verdes Pulse to explore the Museum’s website www.lamaritimemuseum.org and to visit in person Wednesday-Sunday 12-5.
