Following in the footsteps of his father, the maritime painter Thomas Buttersworth (1768-1842), James E. Buttersworth (1817-1894) established himself as a preeminent painter of nautical scenes in the 19th Century. James was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1845, settling in West Hoboken, New Jersey.
He began his career in America by working for Currier & Ives, who published lithographs after many of his ship paintings. By 1850, Buttersworth had established his reputation for the skilled depiction of sailing yachts in New York Harbor. Buttersworth chronicled a twenty-four year period of America’s Cup racing, from 1870 through 1893, capturing many of the great yachts of the day under sail in the Harbor. Several of these paintings depict boats rounding the Sandy Hook Lightship with wind-filled sails and white caps slapping at their hulls.
We are pleased to be offering one of these paintings in our June 28th Fine Sale of English, Continental & American Furniture, Fine Art and Decorations:
Lot 240, JAMES BUTTERSWORTH (1871-1894): NEW YORK YACHT CLUB RACE OFF SANDY HOOK
Estimate $30,000 – $50,000
For further reading:
Read about the history of the New York Yacht Club >
What to look for in a painting by James Edward Buttersworth, by James Puzinas, Blue Heron Fine Art >