The life and work of this beloved artist of America's great age of sail has finally been rightfully recognized with the thoroughly-researched new book Frank Vining Smith: Maritime Painting in the 20th Century. Author James A. Craig and essayist Peter Williams present a vivid picture of Smith's hardworking existence in coastal New England and his prolific career as a foremost marine artist.  Best known for his dramatic depictions of clipper ships, Frank Vining Smith's work is prized for its rich symbolism, technical accuracy, and vibrant execution of maritime themes. Throughout the first half of the twentieth-century, his oeuvre encompassed nautical subjects---from late-medieval galleons to modern aircraft carriers, Bahamian harbor scenes to rocky New England seascapes ---in both oil and watercolor, as well as remarkable illustration work, sporting scenes, and landscapes.