The dynamism of the seas and the grace of the sailboats that traverse their waters are captured with great accuracy and attention to detail in this work by Montague Dawson. Here, the artist brings vividly to life the thrill of the race across open water. Dawson, arguably the most important maritime painter of his generation, possessed an incomparable talent for rendering ships at sea with unparalleled energy and vitality. The speed and agility of these ships are perfectly realized in the present work, enhanced by Dawson's mastery over composition.

Dawson's skillful depiction of dynamic movement is fully evident as he faithfully renders several sailboats in the midst of a "one-design race" in which all the competing boats are of the same type and size. The buoy on the left of the composition is the mark, which the foremost boat has passed and turned upwind. The grace and speed of this boat are beautifully captured as it “beats to windward,” one of the most demanding tasks for the sailor. Imbued with excitement and energy, the oil on canvas captures the exhilaration of ships at full sail, pulling the viewer into the heart-pounding adventure of the race.

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 the Second World War, 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.