Cornelius Tarbox House entryway, Westport Island, ca. 1858
Item 101640 info
Westport Island History Committee
This is a view inside the front entryway of the Cornelius Tarbox House. The main stair hall inside the entrance to the house overlooks the waterfront to the south of the house.
A series of floor to ceiling marine murals run panoramically around the walls of the main stair hall. The left wall mural depicts a turbulent seascape with a great, three-masted ship under full sail headed towards a lighthouse. Visible on the back hall is a monumental weeping willow tree on a peaceful grassy shore. On the right wall ascending the staircase is a view of exotic trees atop a rocky shoreline. Beyond the trees, a seascape dotted with boats extends to the horizon.
The murals are painted in a style dissimilar to the earlier murals of Rufus Porter and Jonathan Poor, which lack the perspective and naturalism found here. The murals were likely created after 1850 and before 1866 and may relate to Cornelius Jr., his wife, Ruth (1790-1866), and their youngest son, William F. (1832-1865).
Item 2 of 16
