Montague Dawson is considered the master of marine painting, famous for his breathtaking, highly detailed compositions of sailed ships at sea. By 1935, he was dubbed “the King of the Clipper Ship School,” and his reputation as a ship-marine painter spread internationally. In Racing Home, Dawson’s skill at photorealism and his ability to capture dynamic movement are fully evident. With an incredible energy, he perfectly captures the famed China clippers Chrysolite and Stornoway as they race through the white-capped, churning waves of the Atlantic.
The monumental oil on canvas is a rarity in his oeuvre, boasting a daring composition that invites the viewer to experience the work in a truly visceral way. Both energizing and intimate, the scene overlooks the deck of the Stornoway as it races forward. The crew is clearly seen on board, pointing back at the Chrysolite trailing them. The powerful drama of these clipper ships at sail is perfectly realized in the work, enhanced by Dawson's mastery over composition.
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.
