William Moore Davis (American, 1829-1920)

The Mill

Oil on Canvas, signed (l.r.) “Wm. M. Davis”

11” x 7”

Condition: Original, unlined Canvas with FW Devoe Stamp on Verso, Original Stretchers, Original Frame

Price Available Upon Request

William Moore Davis, born in Setauket on the North Shore of Long Island on May 22, 1829, triumphed as an artist inspired by the stunning seashore that surrounded him. A self-taught artist who was greatly influenced by William Sidney Mount (1807-1868), he began working as a cabin boy on a Long Island Sound sloop at fifteen-years-old to fulfill his fascination with the sea; he later became a shipbuilding apprentice. By the time Davis reached his twenties he had become a professional painter and was able to marry his passions for both the ocean and art. As Davis continued to paint on Long Island, his friendship with Mount grew stronger and the two exchanged numerous letters with painting advice up until Mount’s death in 1868. At that time Davis moved to Manhattan where he opened a studio. It did not last long, however, and by 1872 he had returned to Long Island to live in the Port Jefferson area.

As a painter of his surrounding environments, Davis usually depicted farmland and the sea. His works portray rural barns and houses, in which every stone or board shines in the light with impeccable details. He also painted fields, marshes, and the shoreline, sometimes including boats similar to the ones he used to build. Davis’s realistic style pulls the viewer into the painting and creates the excitement of being within the setting.

Although Davis’s style was greatly influenced by Mount, he developed his own, distinct take on genre scenes. Like Mount, Davis also strived to portray reality in his paintings of workers, farmers, and their families, yet he captured the scenes with intense detail. In this way, he captured the mood of the subjects in his works, as well as their compassionate and hospitable faces, as they participated in mundane activities or jobs. His brushwork was hard, clean, sharp, and distinct, and captured light in a unique way.

“Painter Davis” as he became known in the Port Jefferson area, thrived in Long Island where he exhibited his paintings almost exclusively. However, he did have a solo show in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1894, which included 135 of his works. William Moore Davis continued to live and paint on Long Island, capturing the beauty of his surroundings, until his death in 1920.