Lot 332
Captain William Lindsey Challoner (British, 1852-1901, active New Orleans 1882-87), 'USS Maine (1895-1898) Passing Morro Castle as She Enters into Havana Harbor, Cuba', oil on canvas, signed and dated '1900' lower right, 16 in. x 28 in., in a period frame. Note: Trained at the York Naval Academy in England, Captain William L. Challoner worked for the Machecca line of fruit trade ships that sailed between New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, Cuba and Central America. Because of his experiences as a ship captain, Challoner adeptly painted the variety of ships that frequented the busy ports. In January of 1898 the battleship USS Main was sent to Havana to protect American interest during the long-standing Cuban revolt against the Spanish government. During the evening of February 15th the USS Maine sank in the harbor when the forward gunpowder magazines exploded. While the cause of the explosion remains unclear, American sentiment of the day blamed Spain and war followed within a few months. In this painting, Captain Challoner captured the impressive American ship as it enters the harbor not knowing its eventual fate.
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