James Edward Buttersworth 1817 - 1894

John Dwyer, New York
Marnie Dwyer McNulty (his sister)
James Paul McNulty (her son)
John J. McNulty (his son)
Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, 1980
Private collection, Midwest, 1981 (acquired from the above)
By descent to the present owner

Chicago, Illinois, Terra Museum of American Art, A Proud Heritage: Two Centuries of American Art, April-June 1987, p. 132, illustrated in color
New York, South Street Seaport Musem; Salem, Massachusetts, Peabody Essex Museum; Chicago, Illinois, Terra Museum of American Art, Ship, Sea & Sky: The Marine Art of James Edward Buttersworth, New York, April 1994-April 1995, no. 31, p. 99, illustrated in color

Barbara B. Buchholz, "Boat Show At Terra, Oil And Water Mix In Exhibit Of Marine Art," Chicago Tribune, February 12, 1995

The present painting depicts the yacht Magic successfully defending the cup in the first America's Cup challege of 1870.  The race against the English challenger Cambria and sixteen other schooners was held in New York Harbor, as evidenced by the view of Castle Garden in the background. Richard B. Grassby writes, "Here Buttersworth conveys the thrill of sailing at speed under full canvas and unites subject and mood.  ...he combines accurate draftsmanship with a strong variegated sky, lively green blue seas, strong contrasts, and fine detail.  A bolder palette of elemental colors conveys the hot, dry light of a clear day, when variations flatten out into hues of one color.  The brilliant, hard light does not come directly from the sun, but is reflected by the sky.  Buttersworth understood well the refractive and reflective properties of light and how it is absorbed" (Ship, Sea & Sky: The Marine Art of James Edward Buttersworth, New York, 1994, p. 99).