Liberty Harbor

▪ Van Gogh: “Boats at the St. Maries,” 1888. Laren Collection V. W. van Gogh

In Chen’s delightful Liberty Harbor, the composition is held together by strong vertical elements: a portion of the Statue of Liberty with upraised arm dominating the foreground, the masts of four beached sailboats in the middleground, and the massive twin towers of the World Trade Center in the background. The canvas abounds in triangular underpinnings, such as the sails of the smaller crafts and one tall ship.

The beached boats can be found in “Boats at the St. Maries.” Chen’s boats are almost identical, except that the one originally called Amitie (Friendship) has lost its name. Then tiny crafts have brought their human cargo, who have debarked, their safety assured and their futures open. The little sailing vessels, though Dutch, seem vaguely Oriental.

– Lawrance Jeppson