Called the “King of the Clipper Ship School,” Montague Dawson (1895 – 1973) was one of the 20th century’s most renowned nautical artists. Raised near the ocean by a seafaring family, he excelled at depicting the relationship of sky, sea and ship in his paintings. Employed by “the Sphere” as a maritime battle illustrator during both World Wars, at the peak of his career, Dawson was said to be the highest-paid painter other than Picasso.