Raleigh shows in this work the American merchant ship Minnie B off the New England coast with sharply defined detail and beautiful coloration. Strong in folk art qualities, yet portrayed with trained accuracy in the well-proportioned rig and hull, this painting could only have been created by someone with Raleigh's extensive sea experience.
ote the fine details of the captain and his wife on the quarter deck, pilot schooner #2 coming up astern, the lighthouse beneath her bows and her name pennant and American flag trailing from their hoists. With Raleigh's influence, the Minnie B seems a proud ship, harnessing the power of the wind with all sail set and drawing. This painting offers a realistic and attractive window into maritime endeavor in 1885 America.
A nice touch is the luminous pool of light the ship seems to glide through. Raleigh's treatment of light and shadow on the billowing sails, and the hazy offshore sky above captures at once all the power and beauty of 19th century sailing vessels and the captivating romance of life at sea.
