biografia di James Edward BUTTERSWORTH (1817-1894)

Birth place: Isle of Wight, England

Death place: West Hoboken, NJ

Addresses: West Hoboken, NJ, c.1850-94

Profession: Marine, landscape, and portrait painter

Exhibited: American Art-Union, 1850-52

Work: Mystic Seaport Mus.; Mariners Mus., Newport News, VA; Mus. City of NY; Bath Marine Mus.; N.Y. State Hist. Assoc.

Comments: Leading 19th-century ship painter. His father was the English painter Thomas Buttersworth (1768-1842), who himself exhibited sea pieces" at London galleries from 1797-1827. James Buttersworth emigrated to the U.S. about 1845 and by 1847 was working for Nathaniel Currier (and soon after for Currier & Ives), who published many of his ship pictures over the next 20 years. Buttersworth settled in West Hoboken, NJ, and established a strong reputation by the 1850s, gaining recognition for his depictions of the yachts in New York Harbor. He also specialized in portraits of naval warships, often shown in battle. His son James Buttersworth was also a painter.

Sources: G&W; Cowdrey, AA & AAU, cites obit. in NYPL Art Room; Peters, Clipper Ship Prints; Peters Currier and Ives, pl. 148; Crouse, Mr. Currier and Mr. Ives, opp. 92; Panorama, I (1946), 71, 108; Whitehill, "Portraits of American Ships," 7; N.Y. State Hist. Assoc. (Cat, 1950). More recently, see Baigell, Dictionary; Brewington, 68"