Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

Edward Helgason
Clipper Ship “Balclutha”

1974

About the Item

Unlike the typical lost subject of a historic marine painting, this ship is cared for to this day by the San Francisco Maritime Museum. And it floats there secure in the dignity of having been designated in 1985 as a National Historic Landmark. But oh, what a busy girl she was in her youth. Launched in 1886 out of Glasgow, Scotland as a general cargo ship. The steel hulled and full-rigged, “Balclutha” rounded Cape Horn, navigating the treacherous seas between South America and Antarctica. In a 13-year period, she made that ship-crushing passage 17 times. During part of that service, Edward Helgason, the Icelandic-born artist of this painting, actually served aboard this ship. He spent years at sea before charting a new course in 1957 at age 63, when he left his maritime career to establish a studio in his basement. Thereafter he meticulously painted ships, the sea, weather and rigging with notable accuracy and detail. Given the date of this picture, it was undoubtedly painted to coincide with the San Francisco Maritime Museum’s 1974 exhibition of Helgason’s work. True to the “Balclutha’s” ultimate retirement in California, she took a “stage name” of “Pacific Queen” for her appearance in the Clark Gable and Charles Laughton film “Mutiny on the Bounty.” Acting as the floating equivalent of the “Movie Star Home” for famous ships, the San Francisco Maritime Museum has proudly displayed the "Balclutha" since 1954. At the moment, due to the Hyde Street Pier 2025 restoration, the ship can be found at Vallejo’s Mare Island. On the other hand, you can see her daily, in high seas with a full wind in her sails right in your home.
  • Creator:
    Edward Helgason (1894 - 1980, American)
  • Creation Year:
    1974
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Width: 34.5 in (87.63 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Condition commensurate with age and use. Please review the photos.
  • Gallery Location:
    San Francisco, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1378216476992

More From This Seller

View All
19th Century English Landscape w/Figures
By Edward Charles Williams
Located in San Francisco, CA
Beautiful landscape painting by Edward Charles Williams (1807-1881, British) Oil on canvas No visible signature Canvas: 17" H x 21" W Frame: 23" H x 27" W
Category

19th Century Victorian Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

River landscape encampment
Located in San Francisco, CA
River landscape encampment
Category

19th Century Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

18th century garden/park scene with fountain, animals, and figures
Located in San Francisco, CA
18th century garden/park scene with fountain, animals, and figures. Tribute to Jacques De La Jove. Oil on canvas. No visible signature. 18 x 24 on framed, 23 x 30.75 framed.
Category

18th Century Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Frank Alan, 70s painting of African-American man
Located in San Francisco, CA
Frank Allen 70s painting of African-American man dressed in a white robe and top hat. Oil on canvas. 20 x 24.
Category

1970s Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Young Aristocrat with Pet Dog
Located in San Francisco, CA
18th century style, “Young aristocrat with pet dog”. The work is a modern copy of a portrait of Pierre Van Cortlandt, first lord of Van Cortlandt manor in NY. ...
Category

18th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Latin American school
Located in San Francisco, CA
Latin American school Oil on canvas Mother carrying child Circa 1960s – 1970s Geometric style 27.75×31.5 framed 23.25×27 unframed
Category

1960s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

You May Also Like

Italian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic
By Francesco de Mura
Located in Firenze, IT
This beautiful Italian 18th Century old masters oil painting on oval canvas with giltwood frame is attributed to Solimena and features a religious scene. In this splendid oval-shaped painting are depicted Saint Dominic...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Italian Oil on Canvas Painting Coat of Arms in Gold Leaves Panel and Black Frame
Located in Firenze, IT
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...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Wood

J. Brunner 1869 Oil on Canvas Austrian Landscape with Lake and Mountain Painting
Located in Firenze, IT
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-...
Category

19th Century Romantic Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Aeneas Fleeing the Burning of Troy, 17th Century Flemish Oil on Canvas Painting
Located in Firenze, IT
This oil painting on canvas, created by an artist from the 17th Century Flemish School, depicts one of the most significant scenes from Greco-Roman mythology: Aeneas saving his famil...
Category

17th Century Dutch School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Oil on Canvas Painting Portrait of the Italian Noble Family of Zanardi Count
By Lucia Casalini Torelli
Located in Firenze, IT
This museum quality old master oil on canvas formal portrait painting depicting the family of the Count Zanardi is signed by the artist- the female painter Lucia Casalini Torelli- and published in a book dedicated to Casalini Torelli’s workshop and academy. This palatial masterpiece artwork comes directly from the ancient Villa Maraini Guerrieri - Palidano di Gonzaga (Mantua), an historic Italian heritage building owned by the descendants of the family portrayed for more than two centuries, until 1998. The big scale of this oil on canvas masterpiece painting states the relevance of Lucia Casalini Torelli as a painter. The present artwork is a formal family portrait painting that aim to introduce the characters depicted according to their social role in the society. The noble family is all gathered under a loggia overlooking a park, the landscape in the background is partially covered by a beautiful red cloth on the right side. The father stands up and holds the hand of his eldest son, proudly introducing his future heir. The son wears a light-blue dress and red boots, he is depicted in a serious pose holding a black tricorn hat under his arm and a rapier sword on his belt. The mother wears an elegant gold and dark green brocade dress, she is sitting with her youngest daughter on her knees while her second son is by her side. The little daughter wears a lovely long red and dress with white lace and holds an apple on her hand. The son stands next to his mother and is dressed in a brown priestly clothes. This palatial old masters piece was probably painted in 1740 due to the similarities with Cardinal Doria’ s portrait, now on display at the Doria Palace Museum, the official residence of the Prince of Genoa. The painting features original canvas (“prima tela”) and antique original patina, it is in excellent overall condition considering the age, use and its large scale. A formal detailed condition report and the results of the inspection with the UV lamp accompanied by photos is available on request. As well as for its exceptional quality and quite perfect state of conservation, this painting is particularly important and even more valuable both for the artist who painted it and for its absolutely exclusive provenance. Lucia painted the most prominent and powerful noble families of her time, the location of these paintings is unknown to the art market as it is extremely likely that the portraits are still kept in private collections. Furthermore, Lucia was one of the most appreciated artists of her time, so important that she was admitted as a member of the academy at a time when women were forbidden to attend these studies. In 1706, Felice Torelli...
Category

18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Half Way 8
By Frank Arnold
Located in Fresno, CA
"Half Way 8", an Oil on Canvas painting of Sienna and very pale aqua-blue. Frank Arnold is thought by many to be one of the foremost abstract figurative painters and sculptors of our...
Category

2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Recently Viewed

View All