George Curtis

The Broken Mast

Circa 1870

One of the most exciting races between American clipper ships took place between October, 1852 and January, 1853. The vessels involved were the crack clippers FLYING FISH, JOHN GILPIN and WILD PIGEON. Departing New York, each a few days apart, the three ships met up off Cape Horn and proceeded, often in sight of one another, to fly up the west coast to San Francisco. The JOHN GILPIN gambled by heading farther west into the pacific where a strong northerly got her to San Francisco first. FLYING FISH and WILD PIGEON remained in sight of one another for most of the voyage in their dash up the coast. FLYING FISH arrived a day after GILPIN, but having left New York three days behind her adversary, was declared the winner. This view shows an excellent starboard view of the great FLYING FISH on her entry into San Francisco Bay. The water has superb light and reflection while the Marin headlands show as her backdrop, with the ever-present misty atmosphere of this important California port. A well captured moment of one of the fastest and most powerful 19th century great sailing ships created. Sight Size: 18 x 34 inches Vallejo Gallery...

This large and exciting scene features an American Revolutionary War battle in Chesapeake Bay. With great color and lively brushwork this painting was done at a large scale which captures a grand vista of the Bay along with many small vignettes to draw the eye. No less than ten other ships surround the two combatant vessels as they exchange cannon fire...

Artist Edward Cucuel and his wife Clara Lotte von Marcard spent their first two decades together in Germany, mostly in a villa on Lake Ammersee in Holzhausen near Munich. It is the works created in this period, mainly outdoor scenes of young women in fashionable attire of the day, that are most collected and appreciated among his works. It’s easy to see why- they capture an elegance and sense of calm and easy leisure- of long days in gardens or by the water.  This is one of those captured moments with a well-dressed woman watching the sailing yacht...

This impressive painting by Edward Moran does justice to the epic America’s Cup Challenge of 1885. Moran’s point of view captures the day’s enormity to the world’s yacht racers and designers. This account portrays PURITAN’s second and decisive victory of the match on the 40-mile course, 20 miles leeward from the Sandy Hook Lightship and back. PURITAN reached the line a scant 1 minute 38 seconds in front, the closest margin of victory to date. Well publicized and awaited on both sides of the Atlantic, the race held the public’s interest while knowledgeable yachtsmen waited to see if Boston’s Edward Burgess had innovated the centerboard sloop design to a degree capable of holding off the challenge of a true English cutter. GENESTA was designed by John Beavor-Webb, for her owner, Sir Richard Sutton...

This large and epic battle scene commemorates one of the most unusual actions of the Napoleonic Wars. The British Honourable East India Company’s China...

A beautiful painting with historic importance, three schooner yachts line up before the Sandy Hook Lightship for the start of the world's first Transatlantic Yacht Race held in 1866. In his book, "J.E. Buttersworth, 19th Century Marine Painter", biographer Rudolph J. Schaefer has noted six views by the artist of this event. This is largest of the known works of this important benchmark in American yacht racing. Identification of the racing schooners is assisted by the special colored flags worn by the yachts. Foremost in the painting, wearing the Blue was HENRIETTA, owned by renowned newspaper publisher and infamous yachtsman James Gordon Bennett, Jr. White was atop the mast of VESTA, owned by tobacco baron and racehorse aficionado Pierre Lorillard, who initiated the competition with a dinner party boast over turtle soup...

This romantic French 19th century allegoric oil painting on square canvas has a sky blue background, a fluffy cloud fills the central part of the painting where a woman is lying down playing the lyre, while a graceful cherub seems to twirl over her. This oil on canvas painting represents the allegory of music - with a woman dressed in classical clothes and a putto- a very popular theme during all the neoclassical age, with its lively scene inspired by the Rococo period. The composition creates a awesome trompe-l'œil effect thanks to the color palette scheme. Well painted white and gray shadings (chiaro scuro) that stands out from the light blue background in typical grisaille style. This painting originally was an over door frieze...

This delightful turn of the century (early 20th century) oil on canvas painting represents an Italian landscape with one of the most famous squares in the world: Piazza San Marco in ...

"Houses And River" Signed A. Huntington (English School) Oil on canvas Measures: Canvas - 60x110 cm (Gilt Wood Frame - 76x126 cm) Private collection. Framed

This huge Italian 19th century armorial painting features the coat of arms of Montini, a noble Italian family that has among its ancestors the Archbishop of Milan, later known as Pope Paul VI. The large oval canvas has a brown and red background, the latter shaped like a shield, in which six mountains (from the etymology of the surname) and three white fleur de lis are painted. This big scale palatial oil painting...

This very fine quality 19th century oil on canvas in dark brown wood frame with gold leaves details throughout is signed by Joseph Brunner (Vienna 1826-...

“BS Trust” is 36” x 36”. Frank Arnold’s paintings exhibit the highest quality materials for a truly archival piece, created to last generations. Much of Frank Arnold’s work is sourc...