Student Artwork Guide — Passing Schooner

5 parts 1 The artwork2 In context3 About this artwork4 Artist and museum5 Look closely

Name Class Date

John French Sloan, Passing Schooner (1917). Public domain.

The facts

Artist: John French Sloan originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/john-french-sloan/
Artist’s dates: 1871 – 1951
Painted: 1917

Copyright This work is in the public domain. John French Sloan died in 1951; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2021.

Passing Schooner — John French Sloan

When was this painted?

1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950

Shaded: the lifetime of John French Sloan (1871–1951) ▲ this work, 1917

Compare with

McSorley originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-mcsorley-D3VU37-en/
McSorley's Bar, 1912 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-mcsorley-s-bar-8YDFSP-en/
Renganeschi's Saturday Night, 1912 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-renganeschi-s-saturday-night-8YDR6G-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Celadon #aec9da

Catalogued palette

#AEC9DA
#1D331E
#386837
#44789B

Main colour name: Celadon
Intensity: Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Passing Schooner — John French Sloan

The Passing Schooner is a stunning oil on canvas painting created by the renowned American artist John Sloan in 1917. This beautiful piece of art is a testament to the artist's ability to capture the essence of the ocean and its tranquility. The painting features a large sailboat with its sails down, passing by another smaller boat, set against a backdrop of several other boats and the vast ocean.

The Artistic Style and Technique

John Sloan's use of colors in Passing Schooner creates a sense of depth and serenity, making it an enjoyable sight for viewers. The painting's composition is well-balanced, with the sailboats and ocean blending harmoniously together. As seen in other works by John Sloan, such as those featured in the collection of The Museum Gwynedd County Council Collection, his artistic style is characterized by a sense of realism and attention to detail.

Similar Works and Artists

Other notable artists, such as Jean Antoine Théodore De Gudin and Andreas Achenbach, have also created stunning maritime-themed paintings. For example, Jean Antoine Théodore De Gudin's La Salle's Expedition to Louisiana in 1684 and Andreas Achenbach's The Race are remarkable pieces that showcase the beauty of the ocean. These paintings, like Passing Schooner, can be found on AllPaintingsStore.com, which offers handmade oil painting reproductions of famous artworks.

Oil on canvas is the medium used for Passing Schooner

The painting is part of the collection of John Sloan's works, which include other notable pieces such as Passing Schooner

Nicolaas Riegen's A Two-master Caught In Stormy Weather is another example of a maritime-themed painting available on AllPaintingsStore.com

The Passing Schooner by John Sloan is a beautiful representation of the ocean and its tranquility. With its stunning use of colors and composition, this painting is a must-see for art lovers and those who appreciate the beauty of the sea.

Passing Schooner — John French Sloan

Artist

John French Sloan

Born in Lock Haven, United States of America

Early Life and Artistic Awakening

John French Sloan, born August 2, 1871, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, emerged from humble beginnings that profoundly shaped his artistic vision. His childhood was marked by a familial need for support; his father’s struggles with mental health necessitated young John taking on responsibilities beyond his years. This early exposure to the realities of working-class life—a world often overlooked by the established art circles—would become a defining characteristic of his oeuvre. He moved with his family to Philadelphia, where he honed his skills initially not through formal academic training, but as an assistant cashier at Porter and Coates, a bookstore brimming with prints and illustrations. This environment proved formative; it allowed him to study masters like Dürer and Rembrandt, fostering a deep appreciation for draftsmanship and etching techniques. It was here, amidst the commerce of printed images, that Sloan began creating his own art, quietly developing a style rooted in observation and meticulous detail. His early work wasn’t born from privilege or leisure, but from necessity and a keen eye for the world around him—a foundation upon which he would build a remarkable career.

Where to read more

The artist John French Sloan originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/john-french-sloan/
Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Passing Schooner

originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Sloan, John French. Passing Schooner. 1917, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/
APA: Sloan, John French (1917). Passing Schooner [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/
Chicago: John French Sloan. Passing Schooner. 1917. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/
Harvard: Sloan, John French (1917) Passing Schooner. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/john-french-sloan-passing-schooner-8YDLL2-en/

Passing Schooner — John French Sloan

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Look back at McSorley, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
John French Sloan was about 46 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?
What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.