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Item ID :PA0693
Buttersworth, James American 1817-1894 Oil on canvas, depicting the steam sail vessel "San Salvador" and other vessels engaged in shipping, circa 1866. The painting is an excellent example of Buttersworth's middle period just following the Civil War. In the center of the painting is the steam sailer "San Salvador" whose name appears on the bow. The vessel is painted in excellent detail with two sails flying from the foremast and a third furled and her house flag flying from the rear mast. The red cap on the smoke stack along with a red walking beam and a paddle wheel add alot of punch to the center of the image. To the left is a square-rigger flying the American flag off the gaff and the Union Jack off the foremast is painted in excellent detail. In the right corner, pilot boat number "10" is sailing towards the San Salvador probably with the intention of leading the vessel into New York Harbor. Buttersworth has a created a magnificent atmospheric effect in this painting. One can feel the wind on the sails of the three vessels and almost sense the flapping on the sail flying from the fore top yard. The sea is rolling with crested waves. The sky is extremely dramatic with billowing clouds with subtle pink and purple highlights along with dark gray giving one the sense of threatening weather conditions. The color in this particular painting is representative of Buttersworth's most colorful and lively palette. (PA-693) Condition of painting: The painting was cleaned and lined in the mid-1990's and is in excellent condition. Condition of frame: Reference 1: Grassby, Richard B., "Ship, Sea & Sky", New York: Rizzoli, 1994, p. 72. A painting by James E. Buttersworth of similar subject matter and color is titled: "The Steam Sail Ship Western Metropolis" which is in the collection of the South Street Seaport Museum, New York. Reference 2: Morrison, John H., "History of American Steam Navigation", New York, 1903, p.402. The steamship, "S.R. Spaulding", was built by W. Jenkins in Wilmington, Delaware in 1859 and the vessel was used to transport passengers and cargo from Boston to Savannah, Georgia. Following the Civil War the name was changed to San Salvador and the vessel provided service between New York and Savannah, Georgia following 1865.
Dimensions of painting: 18 1/2 x 24 1/4.
Dimensions of frame:
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