Lucius A. Briggs Watercolor of Clipper Ship Red Jacket

Circa First Quarter 20th Century: Lucius A. Briggs (1852-1931) was active in Boston in the late 19th and early 20th century and is most noted for his marine watercolors. This painting captures the Red jacket, one of the fastest 19th clippers, while it was famously delayed for four days in an ice field off Cape Horn in 1854 while attempting to set a speed record. Briggs' source material for the creation of this work comes from page 38 of Some Ships of the Clipper Ship Era, a short and rather obscure volume published in 1913 and copyrighted by the State Street Trust Company in Boston. This 16 3/4" x 22 1/2" watercolor of the Red Jacket housed in a 19 1/2" x 25 3/8" frame and signed L A Briggs in the lower left corner was more than likely painted around this time. Renditions of ships in icy waters are fairly scarce, and this is a well executed watercolor signed by a talented American marine artist. Condition is excellent with typical minor wear to the frame. Provenance: Donald Moylan Collection