AN Attadale nonagenarian is trying to track down the family of an artistic Fremantle harbour pilot from the turn of the 20th century, to hand back a painting.

Terry Anderson, 90, says the painting by EJ Miller was owned by his father and had hung on the wall of the family home for as long as he could remember.

He’s not sure how or why his parents acquired the painting, as they weren’t interested in art, but his dad was caretaker of Fremantle council’s toilets around the time it was painted and he wonders whether his path crossed Miller’s while they were at work.

• Terry Anderson’s hoping to find a descendant of Fremantle harbour master and painter EJ Miller.

Although it’s signed 1921, the painting is of the British barque Cape Wrath which shipwrecked in 1901. It visited Fremantle once in 1899.

The WA Museum has 22 of Miller’s works in its collection, and manager Michael Gregg says the painter intriguingly signed many JE Miller.

Mr Gregg says many at the port were artistic around that time, as it was standard practice for all Royal Navy midshipmen to be given painting classes so they could record their observations. He says Miller had a love of full-rigged sailing ships and miniatures, although his later works don’t have quite the pizzazz of his early career — probably because there were fewer sailing ships coming in to port and he was relying on photographs.

Mr Anderson said he’d love to find a relative of Miller to give the painting to, as he’s got no sentimental ties to it and thinks they might appreciate it more. If you’re a Miller descendent, contact the Herald and we’ll check your Millerfides before passing on your details.

by STEVE GRANT