DUTTON, Thomas Goldsworth (circa 1819-1891)

United States Frigate St Lawrence 50 Guns Sailing off Osborne, Isle of Wight

London: Ackermann & Co, May 5th 1851. Hand-coloured lithograph by Dutton, printed by Day & Son. Small expert repairs. Sheet size: 21 1/4 x 27 2/8 inches.

Beautiful portrait of United States Frigate "St. Lawrence" saluting off Osbourne, Isle of Wight, summer residence of Queen Victoria.

The St. Lawrence was laid out in the 1820s by the Norfolk Navy Yard, but she remained uncompleted on the ways until work on her, interrupted by a shortage of funds, was resumed during the Mexican War and she was finally launched in late 1847 or early in 1848. She bore 8 VIII-inch guns and 42 32 pounders. A beautiful sailing ship, she represents an ideal of the pre-steamship days, superbly rendered by Dutton, who was probably the best printmaker of marine subjects during this period. Thomas Goldsworth Dutton (d. 1891) worked for Day & Haghe and Day & Son, producing refined lithographs of the great British ships of the period, as well as visiting battleships of other nations, as here. With Commander Joshua Sands in command, the St .Lawrence departed New York on the 20th February 1851, partially on a good-will visit but also carrying to England the exhibits from the United States for the Great Exhibition in London, the first modern world's fair which opened on 1st May, 1851. At some point before May 5th (the date this print was published) she evidently visited the Isle of Wight, where as a diplomatic courtesy she fired a salute to Queen Victoria. Her return voyage was made via Lisbon and she arrived back in New York on 11 August, 1851.

Cf. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Marine Collection to be found at India House (New York: 1935) item number 363.

Item #19922

Price: $2,750.00