Marin History Museum Displays
a Rare Painting
By Michelle Kaufman
T
he Marin History Museum
was founded in 1935 by Belle
Brown and a small group of
her friends who realized the county’s
history was being lost as the original
pioneers passed away. Ms. Brown
was determined to preserve the
county’s history by starting a local
historical society and collecting
those memories. Her original goal is
embodied in what we still do today.
We continue to preserve the past and
honor our future by archiving over
25,000 historic objects and 200,000
photographic images. In turn, we
take those artifacts and bring history
to life through lectures, tours,
exhibitions and outreach into local
schools.
Within the museum’s expansive
40 MARIN ARTS & CULTURE
collections are some absolute gems,
including a very rare painting of
the Saucelito ferryboat, which was
created in an extraordinary moment
when a reclusive East Coast painter
and one of Marin’s finest ferryboats
crossed paths.
James Bard and his twin brother,
John, were American painters born in
New York City in 1815. Despite their
humble beginnings, both brothers
excelled at painting, and by age 12
were known to paint works together,
each signing the final product. Their
styles were so similar that experts
are still hard-pressed to identify
one brother’s detail work from
the other’s. After almost 30 years
of painting together, John passed
away in 1856 at the age of 41. James
continued painting for another 41
years before passing away at the
age of 82 in 1897. The Marin History
Museum’s Saucelito was signed in
1877, confirming that James was the
sole artist.
After his brother passed away, James
focused on painting steamboats,
schooners, and of course, ferry
boats. His fame spread owing to
his detailed style, many comparing
him to an engineer because of the
fine technical and mechanical details
he included in his works. Like the
majority of his ferryboat paintings,
the Saucelito is pictured sailing across
the open bay. However, only a few of
his paintings include the combination
of gauche, graphite and gold as was
used in the Saucelito.