“Gypsy Moth IV”

Description

Horn Abeam, Sir Francis Chichester’s Yacht, ‘Gypsy Moth IV’

by Montague Dawson

Paper Size: 28 x 40 ins / 71 x 102 cm

Image Size: 24 x 36 ins / 60 x 90 cm

Goutelette on Paper

This famous picture was commissioned by the renowned dealers Frost & Reed to commemorate the remarkable voyage of Francis Chichester. At the age of 65, Francis Chichester decided to make a single-handed voyage around the world in a specially-designed 16 metre ketch called Gypsy Moth IV. His idea was to follow the route of the old sailing clippers, trying to equal their sailing times. His journey would therefore take him from Plymouth to Sydney, then eastwards towards Cape Horn and back to Plymouth.Chichester left Plymouth on 27 August 1966 and began a perilous journey which brought him to Sydney, on the first part of his journey, already suffering from malnutrition and with a broken steering mechanism. A day after leaving Sydney the boat was capsized and, although Chichester was able to right her, the inside was left in disrepair. As he rounded Cape Horn, the weather became steadily worse, with waves towering 50ft high over the boat, and this is the moment which Montague Dawson has chosen to depict in Chichester’s voyage, which brought him back to Plymouth on 28 May 1967 to a hero’s welcome. Having seen land at only four places, he was knighted by the Queen for his exploits, and this painting was presented to him by Frost & Reed.

Watermarks do not appear on prints!!