A crisp view of an extremely rare detailed harbor scene of the American Northeast has two dockside gentlemen enjoying a clear view from the Mattapoisett Shore, looking southwest back toward Shell Beach and Fairhaven. Historically Mattapoisett and her neighbor to the northeast, Marion, formed with the City of Rochester into the community of Old Rochester. Ned's Point Lighthouse stands guard at the harbor entrance. A black man watches from the fourth floor of the local sailmaker's loft.
Bonar was particularly known for his industrial scenes and regional views, and this is very much a portrait of a busy, working harbor. The scene is accomplished, with accuracy points that show Bonar's engineering background, such as the nice proportionate scale of the ocean-going tug boat running broadside, while the sleek-lined coastal schooner departs the local wharf, with other ships at their anchorages.
The region holds its small town charm today, with summer crowds of social elite taking residence. In the 19th century, the shipyards and lumber mills of Old Rochester supported the whaling and fishing industries of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. The primary railroad connected to Marion in 1854, so the area rebounded quickly after the Civil War and the discovery of petroleum, more than some of the neighboring towns. This American scene by the artist is an accomplished look at one of the prominent harbors of greater Buzzards Bay.
