John Collier

The Last Voyage

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This rather grim painting depicts the English explorer Henry Hudson, who was set adrift in a boat with his son, after his crew mutinied, and never seen again. Hudson explored the region around modern New York City while looking for a western route to the Orient under the auspices of the Dutch East India Company. He discovered the Hudson River and laid the foundation for Dutch colonization of the region.

Not a very pleasant subject but an unusual square composition (unless this is a detail).