DISPLAYING PROPER MOMENTUM FOR THE DRAW OF CANVAS, INCLUDING STARBOARD STUDDING SAILS HARD PRESSED, A CLIPPER BREAKS THROUGH A DEEP OCEAN SWELL BEFORE ANOTHER TRAILING SHIP WHICH FLIES AN AMERICAN ENSIGN. SAILORS RIDING ON THE BOWS OF BOTH WAVE THEIR GREETINGS OR GOOD-BYES, LIKELY THE LATTER, AS THE MAKE WAY FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE PORTS AND THE UNLOADING OF THEIR APPARENTLY FULL HOLDS.
WIND AND WAVES ARE IN SYNCHRONICITY, WITH DAWSON SHOWING BOTH HIS STRENGTHS AS AN ARTIST AND KNOWLEDGEABLE SCHOLAR OF THE DAYS OF SAIL. METICULOUS IN HIS PREPARATION, THE ARTIST WOULD WORK MULTIPLE SKETCHES AND PHYSICAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS TO ARRIVE AT HIS REMARKABLE REALISTIC DEPTHS WITHIN A FLAT CANVAS. A FINE EXAMPLE THIS IS, WITH THE RISING SWELL OF THE OCEAN COMING BEFORE AND BETWEEN THE SHIPS AND THEIR DIVERGENT TACKS. THE CANVAS COMES TO LIFE, AND THE BRIGHT BLUE SKY MAKE ONE WISH TO BE ABOARD.
IT IS FAIRLY SAFE TO ASSUME THAT DAWSON INTENDED AND PAINTED SPECIFIC SHIPS. MANY MATCHED VESSELS COME TO MIND: THE GLORIOUS ORIENT-TO-ENGLAND RACE OF ARIEL AND TAEPING, CUTTY SARK BATTLING THERMOPYLAE THE WORLD OVER, AND OF COURSE THE 1850s NEW YORK-TO-CALIFORNIA RACES INSPIRED BY THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD, INCLUDING 1852 DEEP-SEA DERBY OF 16 CLIPPERS, WITH WILD PIGEON, JOHN GILPIN AND FLYING FISH. BESIDE THE AMERICAN FLAG, THE BEST SURVIVING CLUE TO THE IDENTITY OF BOTH SHIPS IS THE DETAILED FIGUREHEAD OF THE FOREMOST CLIPPER- A MALE HUMAN WITH A SWORD, CAPE AND CROWN. SUCH A DISCOVERY HOPEFULLY REMAINS YET TO BE MADE.
