British Sailor’s Wool Work of Three Decker - Ship Portrait

Wool Yarn on Canvas, 16 1/2” x 20”

$2,900

British sailors crafting woolies were talented needle workers. The height of popularity of this form of folk-art was between 1840-1880. The sailors learned their craft through their daily routines of repairing the ship’s sails and taking care of their uniforms. They made the most of their limited spare time and personal space by creating works of art that could be rolled up, and stored under their bunks when not being worked on. These sailors were knowledgeable about their ships and their surroundings and were skilled at drawing on canvas and then transforming a simple sketch into a vibrant, detailed, and interesting ship picture. These artworks were especially unique considering the sailors were self-taught and created for their personal satisfaction, since there was no monetary gain. The overwhelming majority of woolies are unsigned.