Montague Dawson R.S.M.A., F.R.S.A.

Frost & Reed, London (acquired directly from the artist in 1951)
W. D. Appel (acquired from the above in 1951)

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is in perfect condition. The canvas is not lined and has relaxed slightly on its stretcher, which can be attended to. The paint layer may never have been cleaned and it appears to be slightly dirty. There are no retouches or damages.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

In the early 1920s, Dawson took a cruise onboard a sailing yacht that had once belonged to Kaiser Wilhelm III, which allowed the young artist, then in his mid-20s, to experience first-hand the excitement and dangers of the high seas.  While cruising in the Pacific, Dawson's vessel lost some of its spars (the horizontal beams from which the sails hang). The crew had no choice but to anchor at the tropical Isla del Coco (Cocos Island), off Costa Rica, uninhabited save for a multitude of bird species and hundreds of varieties of insects. Soon after making shore, the sailors attracted huge swarms of angry tree-dwelling ants and the only escape was to run back to the sea to drown them. 

Memories of this adventure were long-lasting for Dawson and inspired many compositions set in the waters around the Isle. In Treasure Island (Cocos), Dawson depicts the island's steep, densely wooded shoreline, and the waterfall that feeds the rivers flowing into Wafer Bay. The Bay had long provided hidden shelter for pirates and its beaches tempted fortune hunters. In the present work, the small boat rowing to shore likely holds a pirating group either burying or searching out one of the area's legendary hoards.  One of the tempting prizes was the "Devonshire Treasure," 350 tons of gold bullion said to be buried on the island in 1818 by Captain Bennett Graham, a once-distinguished British naval officer who turned to a life of crime.  Today, visitors travel to Cocos for its natural riches; it's widely considered one of the best scuba diving sites in the world.