Stanley Francis Smitheman - ABOUT THE ARTIST

About The Artist And His Works

S. Francis Smitheman ATD. BA Hons. FRSA

The distinguished marine artist S. Francis Smitheman has shown works in London and the provinces, in France, Norway, Sweden and the USA. His lengthy studies as a painter included a Scholarship to Paris. Later he took a second degree in the History of European Art at the Courtauld Institute, University of London. He has works in many private collections, on board ships and in museums. His career has also included lecturing at graduate level and a number of years designing for the theatre. Smitheman's work is notable for the series of paintings he has done in pursuit of a number of themes including: Sea Battles, the Port of London, Arctic Exploration, Working Ports and Epic Voyages. Much travelled, he consults curators, ships' captains, and marine archaeologists gathering evidence in order to create genuine 'history paintings'. Working with ships' trusts and museums he has re-created many of the world's great historic ships in their legendary settings and his work has now travelled world wide.

NOTES:

The Artist was invited by the trustees of HMS Warrior (Portsmouth) to paint the ship escorting the Royal Yacht carrying the future Queen Alexandra to marry the Prince of Wales, subsequently Edward the VII.

The first print of a Limited Edition was presented to the present Princess Alexandra on board HMS Warrior.

HRH Princess Alexandra with the artist

HRH Prince Phillip in the captain's cabin

The Chief Executive of the HMS Trincomalee Restoration Project (Hartlepool) advised on a commissioned painting of the ship visiting Jackson Dock in 1862.

MOTT Macdonald (International Civil Engineers) commissioned "Victory Leading the Line at Trafalgar" to mark the merging of two companies. The Artist benefited from the advice of the Keeper and Curator of HMS Victory which enabled him the get the ship very much as she appeared at Trafalgar. The subsequent print has proved to be a 'Best Seller' at the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth.

Smitheman was commissioned by the Trustees of the the SS Great Britain (Bristol) to paint the ship arriving at New York on her maiden voyage in 1845. The Artist visited New York to research the setting. Later he also painted for the Trust the great ship in Hobson's Bay, Melbourne on her first visit to Australia in 1852.

For the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, the Royal Mint commissioned a newly researched work "The Decisive Action". This was successfully auctioned on the Internet (a 'first' for the Royal Mint) and followed by a Limited Edition Print.

Following this the Royal Mint commissioned "The SS Great Britain arriving at Liverpool from Australia in 1861". This was also auctioned on the Internet and then sold as a Limited Edition Print.

The Royal Mint is currently showcasing twelve Giclee prints by the Artist.

For the past eleven years the Artist has successfully sold works at Christie's annual Maritime Sales in London.

Over a period of 15 years, Smitheman has painted a remarkable series of works depicting significant moments in the voyages of the great explorers of the Antarctica and the Arctic including:

Captain James Cook 1773 (in Resolution and Adventure circumnavigates Antarctica)
Jules Dumont d'Urville 1838 (Astrolabe and Zelee in pack ice near Weddell Island)
Sir James Clark Ross 1841 (Erebus and Terror discover and name Mt Erebus)
A.E.Nordenskold 1878 (Arctic, The North East Passage)
Captain Karl Larsen 1893 (with the Jason in the Lamaire Channel)
Adrien de Gerlache 1898 (The Belgica, near Anvers Island, Graham Land)
Carsten Borchgrevink 1899 (Cape Adare)
Dr. Jean Charcot 1909 (Peterman Island)
Roald Amundsen 1911 (Return from the South Pole)
Captain Robert Scott 1911 (Cape Evans, near Mt Erebus)
Shackleton 1915 (with Endurance trapped in the Weddell Sea)

Fartygsmagasinet in Stockholm and Oslo have commissioned, over the years, a number of large works celebrating the great ships of Sweden and Norway including the Vasa, the Gotheborg, the Kronan, the Fram and the Vega. All the works are in print.

On his nomination as L'artiste d'Honneur in France, the 'Voix du Nord' stated: "Like his illustrious predecessor Turner, Smitheman knows the sea and sailing perfectly and endeavours to give his work authenticity. One finds all the world of the sea in his works, the ports, the craft, the human activities on board, tempestuous seas and arctic wastes."