Samuel Scott London circa 1702-1772 Bath

Major F.S. Reeve;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, December 20, 1929, lot 102;
There purchased by Leggatt, London;
Junius S. Morgan, Jr., Locust Valley, New York;
Thence by descent to John Pierpont Morgan, 2nd.

This picture is characteristic of Scott's favored genre: marine and shipping paintings including a view of London. In this case, the artist chose the area neighboring Rotherhithe, which is in the extreme North East of the London borough of Southwark, and which can be identified thanks to its church's distinctive spire. The river Thames was the main artery of commerce and communication in the English capital, and the boatbuilding industry was crucial, inasmuch as naval transport was essential to communication across the Empire. Hence, the lumber imported from the Baltic countries for the fabrication of ships, shown here as it is being unloaded, was a highly prized commodity.
The soft light that Scott diffuses through this picture reflects the influence of Canaletto, who arrived in London in 1746, and became an influence second only to van de Velde's on Scott's marine paintings. Both artists were significantly represented in Scott's personal painting collection, which was sold at auction shortly after his death, providing us with a precise inventory.
The Church on the banks in the background is St Mary's and is host to the grave of a certain Captain Christopher Jones, master and part owner of the Mayflower that set sail in late 1620. The Mayflower stopped at Rotherhithe to pick up the so-called 'Pilgrim Fathers', an assortment hailing from Leiden in Holland to Nottinghamshire in England. A headstone in the East end of the church marks the date of his burial March 5, 1622.