Lot Essay
James Buttersworth's paintings of yacht races express the excitement and beauty of the sport. R. Grassby has written, "In contrast to other seascapists, whose works were usually static, Buttersworth also had the knack of conveying the illusion of movement. . . Verve, vitality, and spontaneity make his yachting scenes much more than decorative records of a rich man's sport. His buoyant ships rise and fall in constantly changing seas. His clippers . . . cut through the sea with real momentum and wakes. His heeling yachts convey the thrill of speed and sailing under full canvas." (Ship, Sea & Sky: The Marine Art of James Edward Buttersworth, New York, 1994, pp. 46-47)