1851 Clipper Ship CHALLENGE

Artist: John O'Hare Cosgrave II

Offset Litho on Textured Board~ Framed

A beautiful and scarce offset lithograph on textured board of a painting by listed American painter and illustrator John O'Hara Cosgrave II (1908-1968), of the three masted Clipper ship "Challenge", built in New York City in 1851. 

Ca. 1960-1970.

The artist is best-known for his depictions historical boats and ships such as this one. 

The painting depicts the beautiful clipper in full sail on choppy water. Beautiful color and detail on fine textured art board to suggest brush strokes. 

The print is signed in-plate to the lower right. It is presented in a fine period deep oak ogee frame under glass and a hanging wire attached to the verso. 

Condition: Print & Frame Excellent

View: 23 3/8 Inches x 17 3/8 Inches

Frame: 27.75" W x 21.75" H x 2 3/8" D

Weight, unpacked: 7 lbs., 14 oz.

John O'Hara Cosgrave II (1908-1968) 

Cosgrave was born in San Francisco, Calif., the son of Everybody's magazine editor John O"Hara Cosgrave. He attended Marin Junior College and the University of California, and in 1930 began two years of study with artist André Lhote in Paris. On his return to New York, Cosgrave began his career as an author and artist, specializing in writing and illustrating books about boats and ships, for both children and adults. He illustrated books by other authors, including Robert Frost and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, as well as jackets for books by Mario Puzo, Ellery Queen and Harold Robbins, among others. He also served as a graphic designer at the founding of the United Nations, and provided industrial art for magazines such as Life and Forbes. He died at Falmouth, Mass.

Clipper Ship "Challenge"

The extreme clipper ship Challenge was built at New York by the famous shipbuilder William H. Webb. At its launch in May 1851, the $150,000 Challenge was the largest merchant ship ever built, measuring 227 feet in length by 42 feet in beam and 2006 tons. The high length:beam ratio of 5.4:1 was what made the three-decker an extreme clipper, and it set a few speed records over the course of its working life.

The Challenge was expected to set a record on its maiden voyage, and Capt. Robert H. Waterman was offered a $10,000 bonus if he could drive the ship to San Francisco in under 90 days. He pushed his 60-man crew hard, but poor weather and a mutiny by 50 crewmen off Rio slowed the Challenge to a 108-day trip. The mutiny and the unrelated death of seven crew on that maiden voyage gave the ship a bad reputation. Capt. Waterman was relieved of his command after reaching San Francisco, but the next master had to pay a signing bonus of $200 to lure new crewmen aboard for a China trip. Another mutiny on this second leg of the maiden voyage occurred as well—testament to how driven these men were to sail hard and fast.

Over the next decade as a China clipper, an additional mutiny, widespread crew illnesses, frequent dismastings and leaks, and other events cemented the bad reputation of the vessel. It was sold to its captain for $9,350 in 1861. The Challenge changed hands a few more times before sinking off the Brittany coast in February 1877.