Sails of Evening - Montague Dawson

Limited edition Gouttelette Print.

Image Size: 20 x 28 inches
Paper Size: 24 x 32 inches

Each print is hand numbered, accompanied by a certificate signed by the Master Printer and is numbered to match the print. The editions are limited to 1880 copies.

The clipper ships thrived in the half century from 1840. Built originally for the profitable tea trade from China, clippers were tall, elegant and much faster than contemporary merchant ships. They were long and thin, with sharp bows, rigged masts and billowing sails. Originally created for trade, the glamour of the new ships caught the attention of the public and soon the ships were racing each other across the worlds oceans in an attempt to set faster and faster times for their shipping routes, in what was becoming a smaller and smaller world.

Sails of Evening’ shows a clipper sailing through the rough seas at sunset. The warm glow from the sun gives this painting a romantic ideal of sailing.  Montague Dawson himself declared: "My painting gives me a tremendous sense of exhilaration, almost as if I am there on the ship itself. ... You have to get life into a marine painting to make a ship move through the water, be lifted by the waves. There are a great number of paintings of ships which are not marine paintings at all, simply paintings of ships. ... People want a ship as a point of focus and interest. But I only look on the ship as part of the whole composition. I like to get a broad sky effect as well. I am after atmosphere in the elements." Of all ships, the clipper thrills me the most. There is terrific romance in a sail. No yacht or any other boat has the beauty of a sailing ship bowling along in a spanking breeze - the hum and thrill of the sails." The clipper ships thrived in the half century from 1840. Built originally for the profitable tea trade from China, clippers were tall, elegant and much faster than contemporary merchant ships. They were long and thin, with sharp bows, rigged masts and billowing sails. Originally created for trade, the glamour of the new ships caught the attention of the public and soon the ships were racing each other across the worlds oceans in an attempt to set faster and faster times for their shipping routes, in what was becoming a smaller and smaller world.