Montague Dawson

(British, 1890-1973)

Smugglers' Bay

Footnotes

This work was published as a signed artist's limited edition print under the title of 'Pieces of Eight' (Venture Prints Ltd, 1971, edition of 500).

Provenance
With Frost & Reed, London, no. 46509 (acquired directly from the artist 26 January 1971).
Harry W Bass Jr, Texas (acquired from the above 21 July 1971).
With W.J. Morpill Ltd., Dallas, Texas.

This impressive work belongs to Dawson's much sought-after Caribbean and Pacific Island series of paintings, of which a small number have come to auction in recent years. These works are unique in that they run contrary to Dawson's primary reputation for depictions of the elegant commercial sailing ships of the 19th century, the high-octane world of yacht racing in the early/mid-20th century and the military craft of the war years, himself having served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. This series offer an insight into the excitement that the artist took from all aspects of the nautical world, not just the historical past and the present, but also folklore and the tales associated with the 17th century heyday of buccaneers patrolling Caribbean and Pacific waters. Stories of this nature would have been brought to the fore of one's imagination during Dawson's lifetime through the popularisation of the subject in cinema.

The present work is the only moonlit example from this series, with others being in the intense glare of the midday sun. The moonlight provides the perfect setting for the pirates' clandestine activities; as we can see, their booty is being brought ashore, inspected, and prepared for stashing. Although we cannot be certain of the location, we do know that Dawson painted both the Cocos Island and Gorgona Island in this series and it therefore seems plausible that this treasure is being buried in one of these locations. The Cocos Island being the centre of the greatest deal of speculation and excitement during the period, with rumours of vast hoards of treasure having been buried here and never found.

The present work was published as a signed limited-edition print under the title of 'Pieces of Eight' (Venture Prints Ltd, 1971, edition of 500). The title of the print conjures images of Robert Louis Stephenson's 'Treasure Island' and the main protagonist Long John Silver and his parrot, Captain Flint. Captain Flint being remembered for the repetition of the phrase "Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!" – this being a reference to the Spanish silver dollar which would often be cut into eight pieces in order that change could be provided.

It is clear that this was a significant work to the artist. The scale is grand, and the level of finish is exceptionally high. The glow emulating from the party's lanterns, and reflection from those situated on their ship in the bay, have been expertly crafted to create an ambience of both serenity and excitement. We know that Dawson visited the Pacific and Caribbean on a number of occasions, and it is therefore very likely that the depiction of the topography and flora are based on first-hand accounts and sketches. Leonard Ramsey's acclaimed book on Dawson gives a description of the artist's handling of his subjects, a description that can certainly be applied to this work:

'His brushwork, though free, is never careless and his colours are graded with discipline and restraint. This all contributes to the feeling of spaciousness and harmony which is the mark of a Montague Dawson'[1]

[1] L.G.G Ramsey, Montague Dawson R.S.M.A., F.R.S.A., Leigh-on-Sea, 1967, p. 16.