This painting by Montague Dawson serves as an ode to the majesty of ships at sea. Entitled Bird of Dawn, the Sir Lancelot, the work brings vividly to life a clipper ship as it sails the open water silhouetted against the sunrise. Montague Dawson is considered the master of marine painting, famous for his breathtaking, highly detailed compositions. By 1935, he was dubbed "the King of the Clipper Ship School," and his reputation as a ship-marine painter spread internationally. The speed and grace of the historic Sir Lancelot is perfectly realized in the present work, enhanced by Dawson's skill at photorealism and mastery over composition.

The Sir Lancelotwas a British clipper ship built in 1865 that sailed in the China and India-Mauritius trade. She was known for her beautiful "yacht-like" finishing, complete with teak and mahogany woodwork and her incredible speed. At the height of the grand clipper ship era in the mid-19th century, ships would often compete in informal races as they carried their cargo, and Sir Lancelot beat the record for a run from China to London during the Clipper Race of 1869. Every inch of this work pays homage to the beauty of ships at full sail, and Dawson's powerful composition captures this ship at the height of her glory, battling the white-capped waves on a brilliant morning at sea.

The son of a keen yachtsman and grandson of marine painter Henry Dawson, Montague Dawson spent much of his childhood on the Southampton Water, where he was able to indulge his interest in the study of ships. Naturally gifted at drawing and painting, the self-taught Dawson became a member of an art studio group in Bedford Row, London. By the age of 15, he was working on posters and illustrations to earn a living. For a brief period around 1910, Dawson worked for a commercial art studio in London, but with the outbreak of World War I, he joined the Royal Navy. Dawson was present at the final surrender of the German Grand Fleet, and many of his illustrations depicting the event were published in The Sphere.

After the War, Dawson established himself as a professional marine artist, concentrating on historical subjects and portraits of deep-water sailing ships. During World War II, he was employed as a war artist and again worked for The Sphere. Dawson exhibited regularly at the Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Royal Academy from 1917 to 1936. By the 1930s, he was considered the greatest living marine painter. His patrons included two American Presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson, as well as the British Royal Family.

Canvas: 28" high x 42 1/8" wide
Frame: 35 3/8" high x 49 3/8" wide