A wonderful seascape painting of the Port of Hull by Francis Moltino. The scene shows the Port of Hull from the Humber with the tower of Hull Minster rising above in the centre. The distinctive factory chimneys of areas such as Wilmington can also be seen in the distance. At the time, Hull was an important port and had an array of different vessels pass through, from sailing ships to small fishing boats which Moltino has depicted in the painting.

Francis or Frank Moltino was a marine painter born in Milan, Italy around 1818. By the early 1840's, he had moved to England where he married and had several children. One of his daughters, Frances Moltino, also became an artist. The family initially lived in the Tower Hamlet area of London before moving to 5 Little Russell Street from where he began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1848. Works at the RA include ‘Early Morning – Waiting for the Tide’, ‘View of the Thames’, ‘ Battersea Old Mill’, and ‘Morning on Burgh Flats’.

As well as painting views of the Thames he also travelled around the coast of England. Later on, he visited Venice and produced a number of works of the famous city, returning to England by 1880, where he lived at 13 Rush Hill Terrace, Lavender Hill, Battersea. He died at 31 Fitzwilliam-road, Clapham on 15 April 1888.

Moltino’s works have a continental feel and with his brushwork and pastel coloured palette, his style is often compared with Turner. Many of his subjects featured busy harbour views such as this fine example. Examples of his paintings can be found at the Guildhall Art Gallery and the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley.

© Benton Fine Art