Battle of Trafalgar (cameo painting - 12" x 8")

John Stuart Booth 1928 - 1980

John Stuart Booth was an English artist celebrated for his evocative landscapes, seascapes, and historical battle scenes. Born in London in 1928, Booth's early life was shaped by the aftermath of World War II. After completing his compulsory U.K. National Service with the Royal Air Force, he briefly worked in advertising before dedicating himself fully to painting. He moved to Lynmouth, Devon in 1960, exhibiting locally and receiving numerous commissions. In 1979 Solomon & Whitehead reproduced his painting "Early Stirrings" the original of which was purchased by the owner of Watermouth Castle in Devon. Arnot Fine Art, a dealer in New York, sought him out and purchased several paintings. Although the artist never legally married he had several female companions throughout his adult life.

Booth's untimely death in 1980 at the age of 51 was a significant loss. Shortly after his passing, some of his unsold works, including his notable Battle of Trafalgar series, and his Battle of Britain series, were exhibited at Watermouth Castle, North Devon, England. In 1981, the Battle of Trafalgar paintings were showcased at the Mountbatten Gallery in Portsmouth, England, further cementing his legacy as a master of historical scenes.

Christie's auction house in London have auctioned a couple of Booth's paintings but have his birthdate wrong. Battle of Trafalgar a small painting with one ship and a larger monotone seascape are both by Booth. Some other paintings have been attributed to him but are not his work they are works by a different artist and look much older than Booth's paintings. Booth was a self taught artist and started painting and selling his work in 1950's.

In 1995, Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, purchased the remaining Battle of Trafalgar 1805 series (15 paintings) and a Battle of the Nile painting. Turner intended to use the artworks in a film about the life of Horatio Nelson and displayed them in his boardroom at the CNN office in Atlanta, Georgia, highlighting Booth's lasting impact on the art world.