The Racing Six

Signed 'MONTAGUE DAWSON' bottom left; also titled verso, watercolor over traces of pencil on paper laid down to board

Sheet size: 17 x 27 in. (43.2 x 68.6cm)

PROVENANCE:

Private Estate, Delaware.

NOTE:

While he never received formal art training, Montague Dawson became one of the most commercially successful British marine painters of the 20th century. Best known for his vast output of skillfully composed ship portraits, Dawson was first exposed to art by his father and grandfather (both successful marine painters) before joining a London art studio. Soon thereafter he joined the Royal Navy at the inception of World War I, serving again in World War II as an official war artist. Later in life, Dawson regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of Marine Artists. His vast knowledge of ships allowed him to populate his works with all manner of marine vessels, including clippers, frigates, warships, racing cruisers, tankers, U-boats and packets, which he painted in high detail with great technical accuracy as revealed by the present and the following three watercolors (Lots 46, 47 and 48).