Milton Bond (American, b. 1918) is one of the few American folk or "naive" artists who has chosen to work in the medium of reverse-glass painting. As an adult, he taught himself how to paint, but an active life as a New England sailor and oysterman prevented him from devoting much time to his art. Bond grew up assisting his father, who owned the Bond & Currier fleet on Long Island Sound. For years, he was the master of one of the last commercial sailing ships operating out of Long Island, and many of his paintings are inspired by his experiences sailing up and down the coast of New England, and in and out of New York harbor. This painting, made after a historical print of the 50th celebration of the Corning Glassworks in Corning, NY, was commissioned by the Museum.