Great Silas at Night

Robert C. Minor, Great Silas at Night, 1890, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William T. Evans, 1909.7.48
Copied Robert C. Minor, Great Silas at Night, 1890, oil on paperboard, 1620 in. (40.750.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William T. Evans, 1909.7.48
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Artwork Details

Title
Great Silas at Night
Date
1890
Dimensions
1620 in. (40.750.7 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of William T. Evans
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on paperboard
Classifications
Keywords
  • Waterscape — sea
  • Waterscape — coast
  • Landscape — rocks
  • Waterscape — time — night
Object Number
1909.7.48

Artwork Description

In Great Silas at Night, Robert Minor created a small yet dramatic nighttime image of waves crashing against the rocks. Minor was living in Greenwich Village in 1890, and this may be a view of the New York or Connecticut coastline. A pinpoint of light from a lighthouse is just visible in the distance, emphasizing the scale of the waves and the potential danger that faced ships sailing off the coast.