Yacht What it Looks Like – An unsigned maritime masterpiece of a yacht race, a 19th-century pastime of the idle rich, takes DETOURS to visit appraisers, auction experts and the Peabody Essex Museum as the mystery of the painter’s identity is revealed.

Detours

An astonishing maritime painting depicting a 19th century yacht race was brought to GBH’s Antiques Roadshow in Tampa, FL in 2005. Although unsigned, the extraordinary depiction of billowing sails and light-reflected sea spray clearly pointed to the work of artist James Buttersworth and was valued at $250,000 to $500,000 – the caveat being that more research would be needed to definitively prove the artist’s identity. Join host Adam Monahan as he speaks with art experts, museum curators and learns what public opinion revealed about the artist’s true identity and whether the mystery has finally been resolved.