William Nowland Van Powell (Tennessee, 1904-1973) oil on canvas maritime painting, depicting the Revolutionary War 32-gun frigate USS Randolph at sea, flying the flag of the United States Continental Navy. Titled on front of painted wood frame along with statistics for the ship including measurements, name of builders Wharton & Humphreys, and line from the Declaration of Independence, WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES AND OUR SACRED HONOR. Signed lower right with initials WNVP and date 1971. Cardboard placard en verso reads RANDAHL PHILADELPHIA. Sight – 30" H x 18" W. Frame 24 1/2" H x 36 1/2" W. Biography: Memphis, Tennessee architect and artist, Nowland Van Powell (1904-1977) retired from architecture in the 1970s and began to paint full-time. He is known for his paintings of ships and naval battles as well as painting Christmas cards for Vice President Spiro Agnew and family in 1971. Van Powell was the author of The American Navies of the Revolutionary War, a collection of his paintings with descriptive artist notes, which was published in 1974 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

PROVENANCE: Private West TN collection acquired from the Wilson family, the Memphis-based founders of Holiday Inn. Van Powell's ship paintings were displayed in the lobby of the Holiday Inn in Washington, DC; this painting is believed to have been among them.

CONDITION: Painting has a couple of scratches to right center edge crossing the bowsprit with small area of touchup visible under blacklight; additional minor areas that flouresce under UV inspection at three corners, not indicative of inpainting. Some minor wear and scattered chipping to back and sides of frame.