Private collector

Roma, Lazio, Italy

Five years after installing the underwater marker where Columbus laid anchor, John Vassar House (JVH) newly brought up a theme of exploration of sea watercourses, this time over the top of North America as a shortcut to the riches of Orient. The mystery and history of the Northwest Passage and Territories made navigation challenging for the ice sea and numerous islands.

Although by year 1977 the Artic lands were open to ships transit, the second reason for JVH’s interest in the Northwest Passage is related to his birthplace, Niagara Falls. When young, he was exposed to the discoveries and route explorations of John Rae’s dog sleds first traversal of the Northwest Passage and (again) Knud Rasmussen passage solely by ship.

The “Northwest Passage” model sculpture is the last of the many “Passage Tunnel” sculptures JVH created. 

The sculpture has a strong pointed horizontal hull holding three mast sails. The deck of the hull is in itself a continuous passage through the natural challenges above and below water.