Background
Buttersworth was born in London, England in 1817, to a family of maritime artists, and studied painting with his father, Thomas Buttersworth Junior., who was also noted for the genre.
Buttersworth was born in London, England in 1817, to a family of maritime artists, and studied painting with his father, Thomas Buttersworth Junior., who was also noted for the genre.
His paintings are particularly known for their meticulous detail, dramatic settings, and grace in movement. He moved to the United States around 1845, and settled in West Hoboken, New Jersey (now Union City, New Jersey), and also maintained a Brooklyn studio in 1854. He returned to England in 1851 for the Race for the Hundred Pound Cup that took place on 22 August 1851.
His sketches and paintings of that yachting competition provide the definitive record of events in that benchmark season of sailing.
About 600 of his pieces survive today, which are found in private collections and museums all over the United States, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Virginia, and have also been featured on the television series Antiques Roadshow.