# Thomas Buttersworth artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/thomas-buttersworth/
Profile generated: 2026-05-16T21:01:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1768-05-05
- Death date: 1842-11-25
- Nationality: English, British
- Movements: British marine painting
- Common media: oil on canvas, watercolor

## About Thomas Buttersworth

Thomas Buttersworth (1768-1842) was an English marine painter who served as a seaman during the Napoleonic Wars before turning to art. Born in London and baptized on 6 May 1768, he drew on direct naval experience to depict ship-to-ship engagements, fleet actions, and individual vessel portraits with an eyewitness quality that distinguishes his work from studio-trained contemporaries. His canvases record major events including the Battle of Trafalgar, the capture of the USS President, and the action off Pulo Aor in 1804. He worked primarily on commission and was seldom exhibited during his lifetime, yet his paintings have become staples of the British maritime art market. With over 340 recorded auction appearances, his work remains accessible to collectors of naval and maritime art.

## Common works and media

Oil-on-canvas naval battle scenes and ship portraits form the bulk of Buttersworth's known output. Common subjects include British warships under sail, frigate actions, storm scenes, harbor entries, and specific engagements such as Trafalgar and the War of 1812 actions. Watercolors and drawings also appear, though less frequently at auction. Works are typically modest in scale, suited to private commission rather than public exhibition.

## Market and appraisal context

Buttersworth's paintings appear regularly at auction, especially in Old Master and maritime art sales. Works depicting well-documented naval engagements from the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 tend to attract the strongest interest. Provenance, subject significance, vessel identification, condition, and secure attribution all influence value. Collectors should note that his son James Edward Buttersworth was also a prolific marine painter, and works by the two are sometimes confused. Proper attribution, supported by stylistic analysis and documented provenance, is an important factor in any appraisal.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine identity research from museum, library authority, and scholarly sources with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. The information on this page draws on the RKD, Getty ULAN, VIAF, Wikidata, and referenced auction history.

## Sources

- RKD: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/14509
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7788095
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500022478
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/78637564/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Buttersworth