Montague Dawson (1895 – 1973), deemed “King of the Clipper Ship School,” was one of the greatest mariner artists of the 20th century. Growing up by the waters of Southampton in a seafaring family, he was comfortable with the water and used it as his main theme. Deftly portraying the interplay between sky, sea, and vessel in his portraits of tempest-tossed ships on the high seas, Dawson illustrated maritime battles for “the Sphere” during World Wars I and II. At the peak of his career, he was said to be the highest-paid painter aside from Picasso.

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