Large Mid Century Marine Oil Painting of Racing Yachts in a Turquoise Sea

This large oil on canvas shows a racing yacht heeling hard under full sail, her crew in blue jumpers and white topped caps tucked low on the deck as she drives through a turquoise sea. Two more yachts follow behind, and a line of gulls skims the waves in the foreground. Beyond, a coastal village of whitewashed houses with red roofs sits along the shoreline, backed by green hills and distant blue mountains beneath a wide sky of rolling cloud.

Height: 76cm (29.9in)
Width: 51cm (20.1in)

The artist has taken real care over the detail. There are the individual crew members, their faces and caps picked out in tiny brushstrokes, the rigging drawn against the sails, and the orange beaks and dark wingtips of the gulls. The sea is painted in layers of jade, teal and deep green, with white crests breaking across the canvas and giving a strong sense of wind and movement.

The painting is signed W.J. Cairno (or possibly Caimo) and dated 1960 to the lower left. It is painted on a Winsor & Newton artists' canvas, with the maker's stamp on the reverse, and the stretcher carries its original pencilled price of 24/6d, a charming reminder of pre decimal Britain. It measures 76 x 51 cm and is unframed, with a cord to the reverse so it is ready to hang as it is.

At this size it makes a real statement above a sofa, a bed or a fireplace, and the unframed canvas gives it a relaxed, contemporary feel. The turquoise and white palette suits coastal and seaside interiors, and it looks equally good against pale walls in a city home, bringing light and a sense of open space to the room. Pair it with driftwood, pale linen, white ceramics and a few shells, or hang it in a hallway or landing where it can be seen from a distance. You could also frame it in a simple wooden or white frame for a more traditional look.

A bright, beautifully detailed mid century marine painting, full of wind, water and sunlight.