Corne, Michele Felice

Marine painter primarily, but also did landscapes, portraits and murals. Born on the island of Elba in Italy, probably 1752. He was brought to America by Elias Haskett Derby in 1799. He worked in Salem until 1806, working occasionally for Samuel McIntire and William King. Among his pupils in Salem were George Ropes, Hannah Crowninshield and Anstis Stone. He lived in Boston until 1822 where he became known for his painting of ships and naval battles of the War of 1812. He moved of Newport, R.I. where he died in 1845, at the age of 93. Corne became known as a painter of wallpaper and frescoed wall decoration around the Salem area. He painted a fresco of Derby's fleet for the cupola in the Pickman-Derby mansion. This is now housed in the Peabody Essex Museum.

While living in Salem, Mr. Corne tried to introduce the tomato or "love apple" to the people here, who thought it was poisonous. Later, in Newport, R.I. he had success persuading friends to try the delicious fruit, the tomato.

See Also

• Vertical File in the Salem Collection - M. F. Corne
• Dictionary of Artists in America, 1564-1860 New York Historical Society, p. 148
• Diary of William Bentley vol. 2, p.453