Oil painting of the historic sailing ship HM Bark Endeavour sailing on deep blue, choppy seas. The wooden vessel features billowing white square-rigged sails and flies a Red Ensign flag, set against a bright sky with low, textured clouds. — Age of Sail collection by Gregory Smith

Age of Sail

Oil paintings of sailing ships, spanning exploration vessels and the great fleets that shaped the world between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. From Cook's Pacific voyages to Nelson's victory at the Nile - each painting built from primary sources, original plans, and period accounts.

12 paintings

Oil painting of Captain Cook's HMB Endeavour anchoring off the tropical coastline of Tahiti in 1769 as local canoes approach

"The truest picture of an Arcadia" – HM Bark Endeavour at Tahiti

Captain Cook's first voyage, April 1769 Oil on panel · 16″ × 20″ Available

Oil painting of HMS Resolution sailing on bright blue water towards the lush green mountainous coast of Raiatea during Cook's second voyage

HMS Resolution approaching Raiatea

Captain Cook's second voyage, September 1773 Oil on panel · 16″ × 20″ Available

Oil painting of the French exploration corvette Astrolabe navigating the treacherous French Pass in New Zealand

L'Astrolabe at French Pass

Dumont d'Urville's expedition, 1827 Oil on panel · 20″ × 16″ Available

Oil painting of HMS Discovery sailing on blue seas past the towering green coastline of Maui

HMS Discovery approaching Maui

George Vancouver's expedition, March 1792 Oil on panel · 20″ × 16″ Available

Oil painting of the survey vessel Lady Nelson sailing in choppy blue waters, escorted by Māori canoes in the Bay of Islands

Lady Nelson in the Bay of Islands

Lady Nelson escorted by canoes in April 1806 Oil on panel · 20″ × 14″ Available

Oil painting of the 20-gun sixth-rate HMS Sphinx sailing accompanied by a pod of leaping dolphins

HMS Sphinx and dolphins

The 20 gun sixth rate frigate at sea Oil on canvas · 20″ × 16″ Available

Panoramic oil painting of HMS Beagle arriving off the mountainous coast of Tahiti at dawn during Darwin's famous voyage

Charles Darwin's Beagle arrives at Tahiti

HMS Beagle's famous voyage, November 1835 Oil on canvas · 18″ × 36″ Available

Oil painting of Henry Hudson's 1609 ship Halve Maen sailing down the Hudson River amidst forested hills in morning light

"Very faire weather" — Half Moon on the Hudson

Henry Hudson's search for the Northwest Passage, September 1609 Oil on panel · 16″ × 20″ Available

Oil painting of Captain James Cook's ship HMS Resolution navigating the calm, reflective waters of Dusky Sound, New Zealand in 1773

"After 117 Days at Sea" – HMS Resolution in Dusky Sound

Captain Cook's second voyage, March 1773 Oil on panel · 16″ × 20″ Available

Oil painting of HMS Beagle sailing towards Port Louis, Mauritius, set against dramatic volcanic mountain peaks and deep blue sea

"An Air of Perfect Elegance" – HMS Beagle off Mauritius

Beagle approaches Port Louis, April 1836 Oil on panel · 16″ × 20″ Available

The Battle of the Nile

The opening of the battle as seen from Peuple Souverain, 1798 Oil on panel · 21″ × 36″ Private Collection

HMS Royal William

A view of the battleship after her 1714 refit Oil on canvas · 20″ × 30″ Available

Oil painting of the historic 16th-century galleon Golden Hinde sailing on bright blue, choppy seas. The dark wooden ship, flying a St George's cross, has its white sails billowing as it passes in front of large, hazy green-blue mountainous islands under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

The Golden Hinde off Ternate, 1579

Francis Drake's famous ship during his circumnavigation Oil on canvas · 20″ × 30″ Private Collection

Oil painting of the historic sailing ship HMB Endeavour sailing on deep blue, choppy seas. The wooden vessel features billowing white square-rigged sails and flies a yellow flag, set against a bright sky with low, textured clouds.

Endeavour at sea

Captain Cook's famous ship during his first voyage Oil on panel · 14″ × 20″ Private Collection

Commission an Age of Sail Painting

Have a specific vessel or voyage in mind? I work from primary sources — journals, builder's plans, and period illustrations — to create accurate, atmospheric paintings of historic sailing ships.

Read about Commissioning

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