A significant work of art and history skillfully blended by the brush of Milton Burns. While the New York Harbor subjects of the Brooklyn Bridge, known ships and wonderful environmental light all factor in, the most important historic component is the presence of Guglielmo Marconi onboard S.S. PONCE, from where he transmitted the first paid ship-to-shore radio transmission and the first U.S. Naval radio message on September 30, 1899.
Invited by publisher and avid yachtsman J. Gordon Bennett, Jr. To come to America and broadcast the 1899 America's Cup, Marconi was contacted by the U.S. Naval department as well, who had been considering the potential uses of the emerging communication technology. He personally installed equipment on the Puerto Rico Line ship, and the cable ship MACKAY BENNETT, as well as a shore station at the Highland Light at Navesink, New Jersey. The S.S. GRANDE DUCHESSE, the white sidewheeler before the PONCE's bow, was equipped with W.J. Clarke's compatible radio apparatus.
Burns painted this work to commemorate the importance of the moment. He captured Marconi's New York arrival after the transmissions. The harbor is active with tugs and a schooner headed for the South Street docks. The weather is bright, light and crisp with the subtly painted marine haze which pops the ships colors prominently forward. The America's Cup races actually were postponed almost a month due to the mild fall weather. This gave Marconi time to set-up further tests and equipment in several U.S Naval ships. The new age of 20th century communications began at sea.
