Frank Will - Ships, Circa 1670 - Gouache - Signed
Artist: Frank William Boggs, Dit Frank Will (1900 - 1950, France)
Frank Will (1900–1950)
Ships, circa 1670
Signed gouache on paper
Very good condition
Dimensions of the artwork: 39.6 x 30 cm
Dimensions with frame: 52.7 x 42.7 cm
This gouache depicts a large 17th-century warship, fully rigged, surrounded by flags and banners fluttering in the wind—notably, a blue flag with gold motifs and long orange banners. At the stern of the ship, a rowboat filled with oarsmen approaches the hull, lending the scene its scale and liveliness. The atmosphere, rendered in soft brown and beige washes, evokes a sky heavy with smoke or mist, while the sea is depicted with small, rhythmic strokes of green and gray.
The work bears the artist’s handwritten inscription “Ships circa 1670” in the lower left corner and his signature “Frank-Will” in the lower right corner.
Condition and Presentation
Gouache on paper in very good condition. It is mounted in a wooden frame with gilded molding.
The Artist
Frank William Boggs, known as Frank-Will, was born in Nanterre on March 13, 1900. He was the son of Frank Myers Boggs, an American painter living in France. Early in his career, he signed his work as Franque, William Frank, or simply Frank; it was not until 1919 that he definitively adopted the pseudonym Frank-Will.
Beginning in 1916, he devoted himself more specifically to watercolor and gouache, techniques that represent the best of his work, as they are more spontaneous than his sometimes heavier oil paintings.
He became a familiar figure on Montmartre Hill, where he socialized notably with the painters Gen Paul and Leprin. While Montmartre and views of Paris remained his favorite subjects, Frank Will also enjoyed painting seascapes—boats, galleons, and ancient ships—a genre in which he excelled thanks to the fluidity of his lines and the lightness of his washes.
During his lifetime, his works were exhibited at the Georges Petit Gallery (1929), as well as at Terrisse, Keller, and Yvonel, and at the Henri Bureau Gallery on Rue de Rochechouart. Frank-Will died in Clichy on December 29, 1950, at the age of fifty, following surgery. He is buried at Père-Lachaise Cemetery, alongside his parents.
Work on view at the gallery (07240)
Shipping: Please contact us for shipping rates within France and internationally.
Ships, circa 1670
Signed gouache on paper
Very good condition
Dimensions of the artwork: 39.6 x 30 cm
Dimensions with frame: 52.7 x 42.7 cm
This gouache depicts a large 17th-century warship, fully rigged, surrounded by flags and banners fluttering in the wind—notably, a blue flag with gold motifs and long orange banners. At the stern of the ship, a rowboat filled with oarsmen approaches the hull, lending the scene its scale and liveliness. The atmosphere, rendered in soft brown and beige washes, evokes a sky heavy with smoke or mist, while the sea is depicted with small, rhythmic strokes of green and gray.
The work bears the artist’s handwritten inscription “Ships circa 1670” in the lower left corner and his signature “Frank-Will” in the lower right corner.
Condition and Presentation
Gouache on paper in very good condition. It is mounted in a wooden frame with gilded molding.
The Artist
Frank William Boggs, known as Frank-Will, was born in Nanterre on March 13, 1900. He was the son of Frank Myers Boggs, an American painter living in France. Early in his career, he signed his work as Franque, William Frank, or simply Frank; it was not until 1919 that he definitively adopted the pseudonym Frank-Will.
Beginning in 1916, he devoted himself more specifically to watercolor and gouache, techniques that represent the best of his work, as they are more spontaneous than his sometimes heavier oil paintings.
He became a familiar figure on Montmartre Hill, where he socialized notably with the painters Gen Paul and Leprin. While Montmartre and views of Paris remained his favorite subjects, Frank Will also enjoyed painting seascapes—boats, galleons, and ancient ships—a genre in which he excelled thanks to the fluidity of his lines and the lightness of his washes.
During his lifetime, his works were exhibited at the Georges Petit Gallery (1929), as well as at Terrisse, Keller, and Yvonel, and at the Henri Bureau Gallery on Rue de Rochechouart. Frank-Will died in Clichy on December 29, 1950, at the age of fifty, following surgery. He is buried at Père-Lachaise Cemetery, alongside his parents.
Work on view at the gallery (07240)
Shipping: Please contact us for shipping rates within France and internationally.
300 €
Period: 20th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: Excellent condition
Material: Gouache
Width: 30 cm à vue / 42,7 cm avec cadre
Height: 39,6 cm à vue / 52,7 cm avec cadre
Reference (ID): 1791104
Availability: In stock
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