Lot 86
  • 86

Montague Dawson R.S.M.A., F.R.S.A.

Estimate
70,000 - 90,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • Montague Dawson R.S.M.A., F.R.S.A.
  • Bowling Along
  • signed MONTAGUE DAWSON (lower left)
  • oil on canvas
  • 24 by 35 3/4 in.
  • 61 by 90.8 cm

Provenance

Frost & Reed, London (acquired directly from the artist, September 7, 1948, no. 7526)
MacConnal, London (acquired from the above, September 13, 1948)
Private Collection, Michigan

Condition

Unlined. In its current frame minor abrasion visible at upper edge. Under UV: Inpainting to address frame abrasion in upper left corner and along top edge of upper right corner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Across the panorama of Bowling Along, a ketch (a double masted yacht with a larger forward mast than aft) slices through a glistening sea, white wake and spray marking its swift progress.  Jib down and spinnaker up, the ketch flies “wing on wing,” with the main sail on the starboard side and the spinnaker on port.  Wind coming from behind, the vessel sails downwind, possibly towards the finish line of a race, and in the distance appear two sloops, or sailboats with single masts. 

Dawson devoted his life to marine painting and few artists of the twentieth century rivaled his precision and skill in rendering boats and their crew.  While his majestic clipper ships on open seas (see lot 85) are perhaps the most well-known, yacht racing remained an important theme throughout his career, particularly racing in the Solent, the strait between England’s South Coast and the Isle of Wight. Dawson’s intimate knowledge of the interplay between man, ship, wind and water is on full display in Bowling Along, a work which vibrantly captures the sensation of a day spent at sea.