Cutty Sark & Thermopylae

Cutty Sark & Thermopylae by Efren Erese

          The Cutty Sark and the Thermopylae were rivals in the China Tea trade throughout the late 19th century. Although they often loaded together and left port within hours of each other there was never a race like the one that occurred during the 1872 season. As the two ships were loading alongside each other in Shanghai, everyone realized that this year was going to be the “Battle of the Titans”. Each captain exercised the option to carry a light cargo in the hopes of making up the difference in glory, fame and the 10 shilling per ton premium paid to the winner. Cutty Sark finished loading first but laid up after dark, with the Thermopylae following. After days of bad weather they ran neck and neck through monsoon, squalls and heavy seas. The ships came in sight of each other off Borneo and were becalmed in the Sunda Straits. Thermopylae gained the lead in the Indian Ocean, where the Cutty Sark‘s luck ran out. She lost her rudder and spent a week lying to, making repairs. The Thermopylae was crowned the winner of this famous race.

         Efren S. Erese has been a founding member of the Pacific Artists’ Guild for over 35 years. While drawing inspiration from such maritime masters as Montague Dawson and Jack Spurling, Mr. Erese has since developed his own unique style, while still honoring the tradition of the masters. He is equally at home painting the intricacies of the rigging of a 19th century clipper sailing ship as he is recording the natural beauty of the exotic flowers that surround his home in the Philippines.

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What is a Mirrored Print & Gallery Wrap?

Canvas for Gallery Wrap

Take a good look at your print. The edges are mirrored, so that, the complete image is shown on the face of the frame once it is wrapped. In other words, You don’t lose any of the artwork. Our 2½” mirrored borders, allow your finished product to have a variety of thickness up to 2” deep. Therefore, make sure you choose an experienced framer who can make the frame to the exact specs of your custom print.

Hand-made Rattan Frames

Though the design has changed over the years, we commission these Rattan frames through a small family owned company in The Philippines. Your frame is the result of trial and error of the last 20 years! Rattan is a vine-like Palm that requires forest cover in order to thrive. Rattan grows throughout the jungle for over a quarter of a mile. Its trunk can span a diameter of over two inches down to the thickness of a human hair. The harvester’s collection process is performed by hand by a simple machete. Ultimately, the rattan vine cannot survive without the forest. Rattan quickly regenerates. As a result, this method of harvesting protects the destruction of the forest.

Cutty Sark & Thermopylae by Efren Erese

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