Pierhead painter

DEFINITION

A painter who sought commissions to paint portraits of ships, setting his easel up on the head of the pier. The commissions were often of short duration and subject to the ship???s departure from port, with the artist???s client aboard. Although the pierhead artists did not often have the luxury of time and academy training, they generally produced accurate depictions born of the benefit of specialization, true love of the subject matter, and perfume of the salt air and sea spray. (Compliments of Vallejo Gallery, Calif.)