Captain Jess Home from the Labrador | Etching 21 of 35 | 1976
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Captain Jess Home from the Labrador | Etching 21 of 35 | 1976
Edmonton
10337 124 Street
Edmonton AB T5N 1R1
Canada
About the Artwork
Captain Jesse Home from the Labrador is a 1976 etching and aquatint on paper by David Blackwood (1941–2022), edition 21/35. The scene presents the return of Captain Jesse Thomas Winsor’s coffin to Wesleyville: a line of mourners stands along the wharf above, while six men below carry the white coffin up from the vessel. Blackwood’s precise treatment of the wharf structure—planks, bolts, rails, and stairs—anchors the image in the built reality of outport life, where the boundary between sea and home could also be the boundary between loss and return.
Captain Jesse Thomas Winsor (1874–1933) was a well-known mariner from Wesleyville whose public life included both leadership and controversy during a period of economic and political tension in Newfoundland’s fishing communities. In the early 1920s, he became associated with fishermen’s reform efforts and labour organizing, earning strong support from some and sharp opposition from others. He died on August 7, 1933, after falling into the hold of the Italian supply ship Alice while preparing to pilot the vessel to Labrador; he died the following day in hospital in St. John’s. His body was returned to Wesleyville by sea, and the community gathered to receive him—an event that remained part of local memory.
Created more than forty years later, Blackwood’s print draws on community narrative and family memory rather than direct observation. It does not resolve the complexities of Winsor’s public life; instead, it records the communal act of bearing witness—an outport ritual shaped by maritime work, risk, and responsibility.
Dimensions and Details
- Title: Captain Jesse Home from the Labrador
- Artist: David Blackwood (1941–2022)
- Year: 1976
- Size: 31.75" × 19.75" (80.6 × 50.2 cm)
- Medium: Etching and aquatint on paper
- Surface: Paper
- Edition: 21/35
Acquisition Enquiries
Captain Jesse Home from the Labrador is offered through West End Gallery. Shipping is quoted by destination and service level; complimentary delivery is available within Edmonton and surrounding communities. Layaway options are available upon request.
Citations
- The Montreal Star, reporting on Captain Jesse Thomas Winsor’s accident and death (August 1933).
- West End Gallery catalogue records for this impression (edition, dimensions, medium, pricing).
Accessibility Description
The artwork is a vertically oriented print divided into two horizontal sections. At the top, a row of people stands along the edge of a wooden wharf. They wear long dark coats and hats, and their bodies form a continuous line against a pale sky and a thin, flat horizon. The harbour appears as a narrow band beyond the wharf. In the lower section, a wooden framework of posts, beams, railings, and stairs fills most of the image. Six men in caps and heavy clothing carry a rectangular white coffin up a set of steps from a vessel below. The coffin is the lightest object in the print and contrasts with the darker clothing and timber. The wood surfaces are described with fine, closely spaced lines that show planks, joints, and structural supports. The overall palette is restrained, with muted greys and dark tones, and the coffin remains the clearest focal element.
Full Provenance
- 1976: Created by the artist.
- Private collection.
- West End Gallery (current offering).
Disclaimer
This description has been prepared by West End Gallery using original documentation and current scholarship. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, minor variations or additional information may emerge through ongoing research. Prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact us to confirm any details critical to their acquisition decision.
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