Name/Title
Sharp, John (1911-1966) "Deserted Wharf"Entry/Object ID
2025.900.FA18268Tags
Oil PaintingDescription
Cool blues and greens dominate much of Sharp’s landscape, creating a sharp contrast against the red of the barn and sails. A body of water surrounding the wharf clearly is too small for any boats and seems to be drying up. The rolling hills and mountains in the background make the area feel vast and somewhat empty. There are no people within the painting, although there are a few structures that could be houses—one of which has a gravestone—and what appears to be a church spire. Strangest of all is a fenced-in pasture with dinosaurs.Collection
Mt. Morris TB Hospital FAP CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Sharp, John Oliver RobertDate made
Mar 12, 1937Condition
Overall Condition
GoodDate Examined
Aug 1, 2025Notes
1 scratch indent in canvas from pasture to upper right corner, 1 hole left side above building on tree line, 2 circular stains in skyRecommendations
frame is chippedProvenance
Provenance Detail
Created under the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project (1930s–1940s), this collection of easel paintings was originally installed at the Mount Morris Tuberculosis Sanitorium in Livingston County, New York. Following the sanitorium’s closure in 1970, the artworks were abandoned and remained in storage until their rediscovery decades later. Now preserved and exhibited by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts (GVCA), the collection is housed at the New Deal Museum in Mount Morris. Current efforts include digitization, high-resolution photography, and the creation of an online archive to ensure long-term public access and research availability.General Notes
Note Type
Cataloging NoteNote
See the entry titled 'New Deal Collection' for supporting documents, and general historic and research information.
