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Submarine with Supply Ships by Montague Dawson
- This rare naval composition by Montague Dawson was painted for publication in The Sphere
- The work is painted en grisaille, a restricted grayscale palette suitable for newspaper reproduction
- The scene depicts a British submarine returning to its depot ship during World War II
- Dawson was one of the greatest marine painters of the 20th century and an important war artist
- Get complete item description here
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1890–1973 | British
Submarine with Supply Ships
Signed "Montague Dawson" (lower left)
Oil on canvas
Rare within Montague Dawson’s celebrated maritime oeuvre, Submarine with Supply Ships captures a poignant moment of return during the Second World War. Painted in a grayscale palette, or grisaille, this atmospheric composition was created for reproduction in the illustrated press, allowing Dawson’s powerful naval imagery to reach a wide wartime audience. The limited tonal range. . .
1890–1973 | British
Submarine with Supply Ships
Signed "Montague Dawson" (lower left)
Oil on canvas
Rare within Montague Dawson’s celebrated maritime oeuvre, Submarine with Supply Ships captures a poignant moment of return during the Second World War. Painted in a grayscale palette, or grisaille, this atmospheric composition was created for reproduction in the illustrated press, allowing Dawson’s powerful naval imagery to reach a wide wartime audience. The limited tonal range allowed the image to translate clearly into the black-and-white printing process used by periodicals of the era. Published in The Sphere on November 16, 1940, the painting appeared under the dramatic title A Submarine Comes Home, emphasizing the triumph and relief of a vessel returning safely from patrol.
The composition depicts a British submarine approaching its submarine depot ship, or “parent ship,” in the waning evening light. The submarine advances diagonally across the open water toward the safety of the enormous vessel at left, whose imposing scale dominates the scene like a floating fortress. Dawson concentrates the faintest glow behind the ships, contrasting the pale horizon with the dark hulls and calm gray sea. Emerging from the confines of a largely sunless underwater world, the returning crew’s homecoming becomes a moment of restoration and reassurance, a victory off the battlefield.
Although best known as one of the greatest marine painters of the 20th century, Montague Dawson was also a skilled and perceptive war artist. During both World Wars, he contributed extensively to The Sphere, creating dramatic naval illustrations, such as this work, that translated complex military events into compelling visual narratives. His firsthand naval experience during World War I, combined with his extraordinary understanding of ships, movement and atmosphere, made him uniquely suited to portraying maritime subjects. His rare wartime compositions, including Submarine with Supply Ships, remain among the most historically significant and emotionally resonant works of his career.
Circa 1940
Canvas: 19 1/4" high x 29 1/4" wide (48.90 x 74.30 cm)
Frame: 26 1/4" high x 36 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep (66.68 x 92.08 x 6.35 cm)
Literature: The Sphere, November 16, 1940
Provenance:
Private collection, California
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
| Maker: | Dawson, Montague |
| Period: | 1919-Present |
| Origin: | England |
| Type: | Paintings |
| Style: | Realism |
| Depth: | 2.5 in. (6.35 cm) |
| Width: | 36.25 in. (92.08 cm) |
| Height: | 26.25 in. (66.68 cm) |
| Canvas Width: | 29.250 in. (74.3 cm) |
| Canvas Height: | 19.250 in. (48.9 cm) |
Buy With Confidence
For over a century, we've placed important art, rare jewels and exceptional objects with more than 14,000 collectors worldwide, and have been recognized by trusted publications including Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.
On Approval
Examine select works in person before you commit
125% Guarantee
Full credit plus 5% annual appreciation for five years
Trusted Expertise
Over two centuries of combined experience across our specialists
