Montague J. Dawson

Heffel Auction House Biography and Notes

Montague Dawson was one of the preeminent maritime artists of the twentieth century, which is reflected by the inclusion of his works in the collections of the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. The artist’s prominence is made even more extraordinary as he never received any formal art training. Dawson began drawing as a young child and honed his illustration skills in 1910 at a commercial art studio. His attention to technical detail and his highly realistic style created a strong demand for his seascapes. While occasionally depicting ships from the late seventeenth century, Dawson was best known for his depictions of nineteenth century clipper ships.