Minerva

William Fife

1888

One of the paintings planned for my upcoming show will be a small study for a future larger painting depicting Minerva. Built by William Fife in 1888 Minerva was set to change the history and future development of yachting and launch the careers of the relatively unknown skipper Charlie Barr who had brought the Scottish cutter across the Atlantic to America and the yacht designer Nat Herreshoff. It was Herreshoff who after Minerva’s domination of the 40 foot class in 1889 answered the call for “ Anything to beat Minerva” with his famed 46 footer Gloriana.