Wednesday, June 08, 2022

Drawings by a shanghaied sailor

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William O Golding is an African-American folk artist. In 1882, at the age of 8, while visiting the Savannah docks, he was shanghaied and taken aboard the ship The Wandering Jew. He spent the bulk of the rest of his life as a seaman working on various ships and, by his accounts, sailed throughout the world. After 50 years he retired due to ill health, and returned to Savannah. 

Between 1932-1939 while he was patient in the U.S. Marine Hospital he created his artwork. His drawings were done from memory although fanciful elements were often added. He was never bitter over his shanghaiing and said, "that he still sailed in his dreams and met his cronies there to swap yarns." 

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