Blakeslee appreciated his audience, and is recorded as having corresponded with many fans directly, and spread his original paintings widely amongst a following of military service personnel and the manufacturers of all means of military transportation. Based for most of his life in New York, he was familiar with nautical activities, and here has captured the drama of a life boat crew searching a wayward ship for survivors at sea.
Deep-toned, the emotional message of Blakeslee's painting comes through with clear impact. It's a story of this moment, with the unknown and the hoped for hand in hand. Men hard at the oars, the officer looking for any sign of survivors or some bit to complete the story of what has happened. Like most great illustrators, Blakeslee has chosen to set the scene with a foreshadowing of the discovery still to occur.
