This brilliantly colored painting by Edward Moran depicts the second America's Cup challenge in 1871. Masterfully captured here are the 127 foot schooner LIVONIA, owned by James Ashbury of England, valiantly trying to overtake the 134 foot New York Yacht Club defender SAPPHO who went on to win the best of seven races to retain the cup.
This rare and important work by Moran offers a firsthand account of the last time the cup was raced for by the great schooner yachts of the 19th century. In the next competition and for most of modern times the Cup was raced for by single masted sloops or cutters.
Strong in composition and detail featuring the massive spectator fleet and the brightly flagged committee boats in an almost surreal presentation reminiscent of J.M.W. Turner, this painting captures all of the drama and excitement as only Moran could portray it from first hand observation. Note the exceptional light reflections in the foreground sea and the superb coloration of Moran's versatile palette.
