walter thomas

[mrs mop]

Can anyone give information on a painter called Walter Thomas? The only thing I know about him is that he designed posters for Cunard and did a few paintings of ships

[kempie]

A cursory glance online did not lead me to his biography, but a few facts were gleaned which I hope are of some benefit to your search:

Walter Thomas (1894-1971) - a Liverpool marine painter and illustrator. He painted in both oil and watercolour providing subjects that could be translated into poster art and other promotional projects.

He worked for the Liverpool printing firm of Turner and Dunnett as assistant to Odin Rosenvinge, one of the most prolific of the poster artists. Clients of the firm included the major shipping companies Blue Funnel, Cunard, Elder Dempster and White Star Line.

[mrs mop]

Thanks kempie I have been looking for the last few months but got nowhere. My mother has a painting (in lousy condition)by Walter Thomas of an unnamed ship with Gibraltar in the background and she was curious to find out anything about the artist and when it was painted. I shall keep searching for a bit longer.

[kempie]

A search for Walter Thomas postcards featuring Gib led to an image of the White Star Line vessel SS Cretic. Is this the painting you describe?

http://greatships.net/scans/PC-CR05.jpg

http://greatships.net/scans/PC-CR06.jpg

The ship was built 1902 and re-named Cretic by White Star in 1903. The postcards are of the period 1905-8 so I would expect the date of the original work to be 1903-4.

[kempie]

Doh!

It can't be Walter unless he painted it aged 7.

Silly me!

[kempie]

Doh!

It can't be Walter unless he painted it aged 9.

Silly me!

[mrs mop]

Maybe he was a child prodigy!

The ship in my mum's painting has one funnel and a mast fore and aft. and is drawn side on. There are a few non-descript grey boats(naval?) between the main ship and Gib.

Thanks again and I shall keep digging.