SAMUEL WALTERS, (1811-1882)

Description:

Samuel Walters (1811–1882)
Portrait of a British Clipper
Signed and dated lower right: “S. Walters / 1863”
Oil on canvas
47 in × 31.5 in

Description

A superb large-format ship portrait by Samuel Walters depicting a fully rigged British clipper or Blackwall frigate-class vessel under full sail in a lively sea. Walters’ characteristic mastery is evident in the finely articulated rigging, luminous cloud-filled sky, and sculpted green waves. Crew members animate the deck, while a smaller schooner and distant coastline add atmospheric depth.

The painting belongs to Walters’ prime period (1855–1870), when he executed his finest and most ambitious ship portraits. Works of this scale—47 inches across—were prestigious commissions, typically ordered by shipowners or maritime companies to commemorate a vessel’s launch or maiden voyage.

The painting’s major size (47 × 31.5 in) places it among the artist’s most important commissions—portraits typically ordered by shipowners or maritime companies to commemorate a vessel’s launch or maiden voyage. A distant schooner and softly painted coastal landscape lend atmospheric depth, reinforcing Walters' mastery of maritime perspective.

This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire a museum-caliber painting from the golden age of British clipper ships, fully authenticated and supported by impeccable provenance.

Artist

Samuel Walters was one of Britain’s greatest 19th-century marine painters, renowned for his technically flawless ship portraits and atmospheric seascapes. A leading figure of the Liverpool School, Walters' works were commissioned internationally and today appear in major institutions including the National Maritime Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum.

Provenance:
Marine Arts Gallery, Salem, Massachusetts;
The Ritz Carlton Collection;
Christie’s East, New York (Maritime Sale, February 1997);
The Kelton Collection of Marine Art & Artifacts.