The artist writes, “This painting depicts The Henry B. Hyde, a ‘downeaster,’ one of a class of ships representing the last large wooden three masted ships built in Maine. In February of 1904 while under tow from New York to Baltimore, she broke her tow and went ashore ten miles south of Cape Henry during a heavy gale. Though her crew and cargo were saved, attempts to salvage her eventually failed and she was a total loss.”