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| Flying Cloud |
James E. Buttersworth's The Clipper Ship "Flying Cloud" off
the Needles, Isle of Night (89.71) has been hung in
the 18th century American gallery. Beside it is a smaller painting by the
same artist, Fleetwing Loses Six Men
Overboard (17.79). The
subject of both is the clipper ship, the artist's specialty.
"Flying Cloud"
was the most famous clipper ship in maritime history. She was made in
Boston, the masterpiece of shipmaker Donald McKay; and her design was
unsurpassed in speed, weatherliness, and beauty. In 1854 she set a record
of 89 days for a trip around Cape Horn—a record which stood until 1989, when
broken by "Thursday's Child," which made the passage in 80 days!
Buttersworth (1817-1894)
was born in England and came to the United States around 1850. He was
well known to his contemporaries because many of his paintings were reproduced
in lithographs done by the popular Currier and Ives.
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