America's Cup Returns to New York!

In August of 1851, the yacht America, representing the New York Yacht Club, triumphed over her British competitor in what would become the most revered trophy in international sport. The victors donated the trophy to the New York Yacht Club under a Deed of Gift, which stated that the trophy was to be “a perpetual challenge cup for friendly competition between nations.” And, thus was born the America’s Cup, named after the victorious 
schooner, America. This weekend, for the first time in 96 years, the challenge returns to the waters of New York Harbor!
 
In celebration of the historic return of the America’s Cup Race to New York City, we pay tribute to the time-honored genre of maritime art.

George Curtis (American, 1826-1881)

Harbor View with Sailing Vessel Lizzie
Oil on canvas, 30 x 25 inches

Massachusetts artist, George Curtis, was a distinguished maritime painter of the19th Century. Inspired greatly by Fitz Henry Lane, his thoughtfully rendered paintings of ships also embrace the atmospheric feel of luminism. Here Curtis depicts a variety of vessels along the Massachusetts coast under the haze of the morning sun.

Maarten Platje (Dutch, b. 1967)
The Fleet of the New York Yacht Club leaving Newport in 1896
oil on canvas, 27 1/2 x 35 3/8 in.

Contemporary Dutch artist Maarten Platje expertly recreates scenes of historic harbors and yacht races, honoring the glorious ships of America’s maritime past. This piece depicts the Annual regatta of the New York Yacht Club off the coast of Newport, RI as Constellation and the Comanche pass by the Castle Hill Lighthouse in 1896. 

See more by Maarten Platje

Nicholas Berger (American, b. 1949)
Uncertain Wind, 2014
oil on board, 27 1/2  x 48 in.

Nicholas Berger has found great beauty in the active harbors of New York City, often commemorating the hardworking tugs, ferries, pilot boats, and locomotives that have kept the waterways running. Historically-accurate skylines and ships capture the splendor of mid-20th century New York and its maritime industry.

See more by Nicholas Berger

Louis Guarnaccia (American, b. 1958)

Sailing Nantucket, Opera House Cup, 2015    

oil on linen, 24 x 30 in.

 

Nantucket artist Louis Guarnaccia faithfully observes the annual classic yacht race, the Opera House Cup, creating several paintings of its races off the island’s coast. This celebrated event is depicted here with the classic yacht in the foreground preparing to head to the start, as the famous Rainbow Fleet rounds the coast off Brant Point Lighthouse in the distance.

See more by Louis Guarnaccia

Michael Kahn (American, b. 1960) Cambria on the Solent, Ed. 4/50, 2001    silver gelatin photograph, 19 x 19 in. With his medium-format camera, Michael Kahn travels extensively to photograph the world’s finest classic boats and exquisite seascapes. His hand printed, silver gelatin photographs, have captured the magnificent glory of the sea, its coast, and the impressive vessels that grace these waters. Pictured here,Cambria, was the first (unsuccessful) UK challenger to the New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup in 1870.  This image shows the ship in the 2001 America’s Cup Jubilee, in the 150 year anniversary race off the coast of Cowes. See more by Michael Kahn