A three masted ship sails south off the windward or ocean side of Catalina Island having just passed the island's west end. Featuring Gleason's trademark palette of rich blues and turquoise colors with strong brushwork throughout. In its original period California gilt frame.
Duncan Gleason was a visitor and admirer of Catalina Island for most of his life, using it frequently as a backdrop for his paintings. The ship featured in this painting is unknown but bears a resemblance to a vessel which played an interesting part in Gleason's history. In 1920 he and his wife signed on to an around the world voyage aboard the decommissioned 1904 steel sailing bark of the US Navy, USS INTREPID. Gleason was to document the voyage in artwork and together with others aboard would make a film to be released upon return but unfortunately, the owners of the ship ran out of funds before the voyage took place and it never happened. Perhaps this was one vision of what might have been- marrying a similar ship with his own favorite place to sail around Catalina.
