Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Frederic Church's 'The Icebergs' Rediscovered After Decades Missing

Frederic Edwin Church's monumental 1861 painting, 'The Icebergs,' was lost for decades until its rediscovery in 1979. The painting, inspired by Church's 1859 trip to Newfoundland, captured the awe and peril of the Arctic.

Church created 'The Icebergs' based on sketches from an 1859 trip to Newfoundland. The massive painting reflected the era's fascination with Arctic exploration and John Franklin's lost expedition.

Exhibited in 1861 as 'The North,' it alluded to the Civil War. Church, a Unionist, intended proceeds for soldiers' families. The work was praised for its depiction of the sublime.

Due to the Civil War, Church sold the painting in England in 1863. After the owner's death around 1900, it disappeared from view.

Art historians began searching for the missing painting in the 1960s. David Huntington's 1966 catalog featured a chromolithograph of 'The Icebergs,' sparking renewed interest.

In 1977, researcher Sandra Feldman identified the likely buyer as Edward William Watkin. Her investigation led her to Watkin's former estate, Rose Hill.

In 1978, a social services agency at Rose Hill needed funds. An administrator discovered a canvas signed 'F.E. Church 1861,' leading to its identification.

In 1979, 'The Icebergs' sold for $2.5 million, a record for American artwork. The buyers donated it to the Dallas Museum of Art.

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