The Angler

The Angler

A large and elegant boat dominates this scene, immediately drawing the viewer’s attention. Those few people visible in Jacks' print, scattered around the docks, appear almost ghost-like, as if incorporated into the backdrop. Their small number and otherworldly quality give the setting a sense of emptiness, making the composition feel mythical or even ominous. The Angler sits at a dock that is otherwise barren, and it is the only vessel present, further emphasizing the isolation of the scene. Jacks' use of space in her lithograph is particularly interesting, as it highlights the relationship between different elements. Small figures on an empty dock draw attention to the surrounding desolate space, creating a tension between isolation and the expansive landscape. The boat’s overwhelming size compared to the people suggests visual weight, whereas the figures appear vulnerable and hidden in the background, reinforcing the boat’s symbolic importance. The Angler itself floats on what appears to be windy water, with small, calm ripples outlined in sharp black. Overhead, the sky shifts from light to dark, moving from the top left to the right side and guiding the viewer’s gaze across the scene. This shift in tone moves the mood from calm to ominous. Interestingly, as of 2026 the Angler still remains in service as a deep sea fishing and party boat in Ocean City, MD.

About the Artist

Mabel Wellington Jack was born in 1899 in New York City. During her early life, she lived in Ohio and traveled frequently with her parents on one of the last showboats to sail down the Mississippi River.  She was educated in Midwest private schools, where she received several art scholarships. From roughly 1935 to 1943, she worked as an artist for the New York Art Project and the Federal Art Project (FAP), also creating artworks for the New View Hospital and Home during this time. She was mainly a printmaker who experimented with bold and dramatic nautical themes during the WPA era. Like another of her works from this period, Swan Dive (1935), they can be appreciated as “representative of a new world into which women were propelling themselves” (Adams and Keene 54). During World War II, Jack was involved with the Red Mask Players, a Red Cross Circuit troupe, where she designed scenery and danced in performances, although further details of her roles are not recorded. Jack was married twice during her life, though not much is known about her late husbands; she preferred to use her maiden name publicly. In 1946, she moved from Greenwich Village to Staten Island, NY. There, she became an active member of the South Shore Artist Group, an important art community that showcased both amateur and professional artists through frequent exhibitions and outdoor shows. She regularly exhibited her work at the Staten Island Museum and in various outdoor events, eventually earning the distinction of honorary lifetime member. Before her passing, she lived at Richmondtown Treasure House and later at Annadale Beach. Mabel Wellington Jack passed away at the age of 80 on July 12, 1975. 5 works at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 3 works at the Baltimore Museum of Art. 2 works at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. 1 work at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. 1 work at the Princeton University art Museum. 1 image at FAP. 

Works Consulted: “Miss Mabel W. Jack, Island Artist,” Staten Island Advance 23 July 1970: 19; Katherine H. Adams and Michael L. Keene, Women, Art, and the New Deal (2015).

Jack, Mabel Wellington (1899-1975)

New Deal Museum, Mt. Morris NY

Object #FA 48

jpeg, 693 KB

Lithograph on Woven Paper

Canvas size: 13.5 x 20 in; Framed: 23.5 x 29.5 in