Questroyal 2009

James E. Buttersworth ( 1817 – 1894 ) Plate 8 Schooner in Stormy Seas Oil on panel 7 15 / 16 x 12 1 / 4 inches Signed lower right: J. E. Buttersworth provenance The Estate of Robert Cummings, Matunuck, Rhode Island James Edward Buttersworth, above all of his contemporaries, deserved more serious consideration as an artist exemplary of the primary themes of nineteenth-century America: the impetus for discovery, technological innovation, belief in progress, and reverence for Nature. richard grassby, independent scholar,  1994 1 One of [Buttersworth’s] great virtues then was to paint with meticulous detail which was always in key and never detracted from the overall harmony of the painting as a whole. He was a draftsman and a painter. rudolph schaefer, independent scholar, 1975 2 Into the Hall of Fame James Edward Buttersworth is most lauded for his marine paintings, which successfully merge artistic feeling with keen documentary observation. Schooner in Stormy Seas displays this characteristic deployment of dramatic narrative and attention to detail. As the angry skies part, the ship and waves are bathed in sparkling light, showcasing the artist’s ability to represent light and shadowas well as the complex anatomy of a sailing vessel. Buttersworth’s works are considered valuable records of historical ships, races, and other sailing events that predate the widespread use of photographic recording. In 1999 , the artist was posthumously inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, located in Bristol, Rhode Island. This prestigious yearly ceremony in the maritime community honors “outstanding sailors and innovators” for their international recognition and contribution to the sport of yachting. 3 Buttersworth not only represented several America’s Cup races, but also expanded the genre of marine painting, imbuing it with a flair for action and drama worthy of the greatest examples of history painting. — imh Buttersworth’s work may be seen in the collections of the Amon Carter Museum,Yale University Art Gallery, Museum of the City of New York, New Orleans Museum of Art, Butler Institute of American Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Peabody Essex Museum. 1 Richard Grassby, Ship, Sea & Sky: The Marine Art of James Edward Buttersworth (New York: Rizzoli,  1994 ), pp. 7, 46 . 2 Rudolph Schaefer, J. E. Buttersworth: Nineteenth-century Marine Painter (Mystic, Conn.: Mystic Seaport, 1975 ), p. 21 . 3 “James E. Buttersworth, 1999 Inductee,” http://www.herreshoff.org/achof/james_e_ buttersworth.html (accessed July 5, 2009 ).