Two British Frigates

James Edward Buttersworth painted ships under full sail, and his best pictures are yacht races: tall canvas leaning into the wind, spray at the bow and a crowded, busy sky. His detail is meticulous, down to rigging and flags, yet the boats never feel stiff. They look fast. He was born in London in 1817 and learned from his father, Thomas Buttersworth Jr., a marine painter. Around 1845 he moved to the United States and settled in West Hoboken, New Jersey, where he spent the rest of his career. He painted clipper ships such as the Great Republic and followed the America’s Cup closely, recording races up to the 1893 match between Vigilant and Valkyrie II. About six hundred of his works survive, and museums including the Mariners’ Museum and South Street Seaport Museum hold examples. In pictures like American Racing Yachts Off the East End of Long Island, watch how the angle of the sails tells you the strength of the wind.