James E. Buttersworth
In a painting of strong historical significance, Buttersworth has created this work showing a rare Hudson river scene of the Albany waterfront. Filled with the artist's abundant detail in both in the depiction of the city and the various vessels shown, this work shows quite a unique pallete in the pink hues of the sky as well as uncommon subject matter for a work by Buttersworth.
It was quite unusual for Buttersworth to veer from his classic ocean scenes. Here he portrays the famous sidewheel riverboat Albany with two of the classic sloops known as "sandbaggers" out for a day's racing along the riverfront. The foreground landmass with the fisherman is reminiscent of Thomas Cole and the first generation of Hudson river school artists. Throughout his prominent career, Buttersworth created only a very works that featured this landscape aspect.
This image is pictured in the Rudolph J. Schaefer volume; J.E. Buttersworth, 19th-century marine painter on page 159. Schaefer, Buttersworth's most prominent biographer, also points out the importance of this work for its rarity and historic nature.
