biography of John SKILLIN (1746-1800)

Birth place: Boston

Death place: Boston

Addresses: Boston, 1767-1800

Profession: Ship & house ornamental carver

Work: Peabody Mus., Salem; Yale Univ. Art Gal.

Comments: He was a son of Simeon Skillin, Sr. (see entry). Worked in his father's shop in 1777-78. Although none of his figurehead carvings survive, he is believed to have been the brother to carve the figurehead for the Continental frigate, Confederacy, in 1778 (a drawing for the figurehead is in the Admiralty records in London). From about 1780 he was in partnership with his brother, Simeon Skillin, Jr. At William Rush's (see entry) recommendation, John received the commission to carve the figurehead Hercules" for the frigate " Constitution, in 1797 (the carving was destroyed in the Battle of Tripoli). The Skillins also produced garden figures, carved capitals and other ornament for architecture (public and private), and ornamental carvings for furniture. In the latter category is a carving of three figures, representing "Liberty," for a chest of drawers (Yale Univ., Garvan Collection). The Skillin shop also produced four larger free-standing wooden figures (a Hermit, Shepherdess, a figure representing Plenty, and a Gardener) for Elias Hasket Derby's garden at his farm in Danvers, MA. (Only "Plenty" survives and is now at the Peabody Mus.) Other attributed works of note include the large Corinthian capitals for Bulfinch's State House in Boston.

Sources: G&W; Thwing, "The Four Carving Skillins," 326-28; Swan, "A Revised Estimate of McIntire," 340-43; Swan, "Boston's Carvers and Joiners, Part I," 199-200; Pinckney, American Figureheads and Their Carvers, 45-55; Craven, Sculpture in America, 12-16, 19."