Skalagard Painting on Auction
Maureen
described as "a living legend" by art critics. This tall golden haired
Norseman, born on the Faroe Islands in Europe, began painting when he was
only eight years old. By the time he was nearly fourteen his father
acquiesced to his son's desire to carry on the seafaring tradition of the
family and allowed him to become an apprenticed seaman on a square-rigged
ship.
Thus began his experiences at sea that have enabled him to create the
authentic, majestic paintings of such a variety of ships, everything from
Viking ships, galleons, historic battle scenes, American Down Easters as
well as the magnificent Clipper ships of the 1850's. He has also painted
European ships, cruise lines ships, a series of American cup defender yachts
and his very latest series of ten paintings depicting World War II "North
Atlantic Convoy Scenes." Having survived four sinkings during six years of
war, he drew from those experiences to create the dramatic views of World
War II at sea. He served in all but one of the convoy scenes he has painted.
After the war he studied briefly at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen and with
marine painter, Anton Otto Fisher in New York. While still at sea, he had
his first one-man show in 1954 in New York. While shipping out of San
Francisco he was asked to give an exhibit at the California Palace of the
Legion of Honor in 1961.
Since that time, he has had well over eighty-one man shows throughout the
United States and Europe. His paintings hang in many public buildings
including the naval Post Graduate School, house of Four Winds, Monterey;
Allen Knight Maritime Museum, Los Angeles County Maritime Museum and in
Norway and the Faroe Islands.
Skalagard is the recipient of six gold medals, one silver medal and an
honorary lifetime membership in six different prestigious Italian Academies
of Art. A "Statue of Victory" and title "Maestro" were recently bestowed on
him by Academia Italia Del Arti e Del Honoro.
His collectors include mayors, generals, admirals and museums worldwide. His
biography is listed in over twenty-eight Who's Who publications, including
Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in Society. Hans continues to paint
"Ships through the Ages" which will remain his legacy.
The Painting: Great Republic (20in x 16in) done in oil on canvas 1978
A four-masted medium clipper barque built in 1853 by Donald McKay, East
Boston, on speculation. Rigged with Forbes' double topsail yards, (at 4,555
tons) was the largest wooden ship ever built. Launched Oct 4 1853 she was
102 m (334 ft) long, has 53 feet extreme breadth of beam, and 39 depth of
hold, including 4 complete decks. The height between her spar and upper
decks is 7 feet, and between the others 8 feet; and her four masts carried
more than 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres) of canvas. Soon after her launching she
caught fire and was rebuilt with a smaller rig.
Some of the passages in 1855 February sailed from New York to Liverpool in
13 days. Sailed from New York to San Francisco in 92 days. 1869 January Sold
to the Merchants Trading Company of Liverpool and renamed Denmark and put in
the East India Trade. 1872 Sprang a leak in a hurricane off Bermuda en route
from Rio de Janeiro to St. John, NB, and was abandoned with 15 feet of water
in the hold
This painting is on auction at Ebay, starting bid is $3,000