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James Edward ButtersworthWilliam Astor's Schooner AMBASSADRESS Leads the RegattaCirca 1877
Circa 1877
$85,000
£63,233.08
€74,135.87
CA$118,883.30
A$132,736.66
CHF 69,645.50
MX$1,638,205.17
NOK 875,453.08
SEK 819,141.60
DKK 553,066.15
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About the Item
William Astor Pilots the New York Yacht Club Run
A superior and graceful schooner as grand as any ever built, AMBASSADRESS was William Backhouse Astor, Jr's "floating home" from its launch in 1877 until he sold it in 1884 and purchased his massive steam/sail yacht NOURMAHAL. Designed and built by the renowned David Carll, AMBASSADRESS wasn't intended as a 146'2" racing schooner (the largest centerboard yacht ever built), but as an opulent home on the water, with exotic woods, carpeting, panel mirrors and every amenity Astor could desire. Still she handled remarkably well and sailing in all weather at speed, by all accounts.
Buttersworth's art presents a selection of New York Yacht Club vessels tacking into a headwind on the port quarter. Two large schooners and a cutter sail along with AMBASSADRESS flying American ensigns, with the rolling Atlantic Ocean contesting each of them. Quite likely this is AMBASSADRESS first yacht club's cruise of 1877 to Newport, and Astor has commissioned the artist to capture it for posterity, with the club pennant and his private signal aloft. When not onboard, Astor's yacht would often be found docked off his Hudson River Estate, Ferncliff. The 500-acre "farm" had cattle and his horse stables as well, with his prize thoroughbred Vagrant winning the 1876 Kentucky Derby.
Buttersworth frequently accepted commissions from many of the era's most important yachtsmen, who wished to preserve their seasonal victories and beautiful ships. The sharp details and gracefully drawn lines of the schooner yacht are well represented, as the regatta follows her under a clouded yet bright sky. The textured application of oil brings forth a realistic first-person view of a classic schooner from the water. Astor would sell his prized yacht to Nathaniel Thayer of Boston in 1884.
Sight Size: 12 x 20 Inches
Signed LR: J.E. Buttersworth
- Creator:James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894, American)
- Creation Year:Circa 1877
- Dimensions:Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 28 in (71.12 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Costa Mesa, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2139212467572
James Edward Buttersworth
Born in 1817 in Middlesex County, Great Britain, James Edward Buttersworth was the son of important English sea painter Thomas Buttersworth. Settling in New York in 1845, he soon established himself as one of America's leading marine artists. For the most part he signed his works J.E. Buttersworth. During the next period of his life, many of his works were chosen by Currier & Ives as subjects for lithographs. His images were also used in magazines and newspapers that reported the yachting events of the day. New York Harbor and the surrounding areas became a favorite background for his vessels which he portrayed faithfully with an eye for precise detail. His reputation sprang from his accurate representations of the great sailing yachts of his time. In order to accent the speed and grace of these vessels, he would often elongate the hulls and sails to create a feeling of motion portrayed along a low horizon line. With dramatic skies, churning seas and accurate detail, he ennobled and romanticized sailing ships with what have become historically important paintings that are both beautiful and refined.
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