Montague Dawson (British, 1895-1973) The Song of the Sea, 1936 Oil on canvas 28-1/8 x 42-1/8 inches (71.4 x 107.0 cm) Signed lower right: Montague Dawson Inscribed in pencil by the artist on stretcher: "The Song of the Sea" / The Packet Ship 'Joshua Bates' built in 1844 for the White Diamond Line" Property from the Estate of Kenneth Alan Hill, Sr., Fort Worth, Texas PROVENANCE: Frost & Reed Ltd., London, 1936 (stock no. 6881); Private collection; Vallejo Gallery, Newport Beach, California; Acquired by the present owner from the above, 2020. The Joshua Bates, known for its speed and seaworthiness, was a jewel in the White Diamond Line fleet. This famed 19th-century packet ship company, known for its technologically advanced ship designs, dominated the Atlantic trade route from Boston to Liverpool. Such notoriety made the Joshua Bates the perfect subject for Dawson's early career, which focused on famed clipper ships of the era. Here, the Joshua Bates is pictured at full-sail with several sailors hard at work on her deck. The deep, blue-green sea churns below her, and with a few deft brushstrokes, Dawson has captured water conditions any sailor would recognize, to the point that you can almost feel the wind and spray on your face. Dawson's artistic virtuosity stems from not only his painterly skill but his deep understanding of life at sea. In a work of this caliber, the artist's two abilities combine exquisitely, creating the kind of image most sought-after by collectors. The Joshua Bates is well represented in historical works of art. Portraits of the ship are housed in the collections of the Royal Maritime Museum, Greenwich in London and the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, Virginia, among others. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved