Billowing white sails punctuate a pastel sky as two catboats glide across glass-calm water. Maritime artist Michael Keane was known for his use of luminous colors and fine details, which imbued his works with a romantic atmosphere. In this 24-inch by 36-inch oil-on-canvas painting Reaching Cats, he captures the warmth and serenity of a summer day on the water in New England.
Catboats originated in New York around 1840 and quickly spread along the Eastern Seaboard, becoming the dominant inshore vessel in New England from the 1850s to the early 1900s. The term “catboat” encompasses a variety of models ranging from 12 to 40 feet, all sharing distinctive design features—namely, a single mast stepped far forward, a shallow draft and a wide beam measuring half the hull length at the waterline. Prized for their ease of handling, stability and spaciousness, they were widely used for fishing and coastal transport in the waters around Cape Cod, Narragansett Bay and beyond.
Catboats were adapted for racing around the turn of the 20th century, their rigs optimized with long booms and gaffs, bowsprits and large jibs. Today, they remain beloved as recreational sailboats, with one-designs like the classic Beetle Cat continuing to enjoy a devoted following.
Born in Rockland, Massachusetts, in 1948, Keane began drawing boats at the age of 5 before taking art classes with painter Edward Harrigan at age 8. Harrigan introduced him to charcoals, pastels and finally oils, which remained his favorite medium.
Keane worked in the maritime industry for several years, first building fiberglass boats for Boston Whaler, and later serving as a marine quality assurance inspector and draftsman at General Dynamics where he became proficient at reading and lofting ship plans. “I can read a ship’s plans like a Sunday newspaper,” Keane once remarked. He retired from General Dynamics in 1983 to pursue painting full-time, a decision precipitated by the diagnosis of a neuromuscular disorder.
Before painting, Keane used his specialized knowledge to construct highly detailed ship models and referenced old blueprints, drawings and photographs to help him visualize his paintings. This gave them— besides elegant design and rich colors—technical accuracy. The authenticity also came from his lived experience—a skilled sailor, he designed and built his own catboat, Trick or Treat.
Keane passed away in 2015, but his paintings remain some of the most sought-after marine art in the world today.
“He is the brightest star on the marine painting horizon,” said Malcom Wilson, who owned Sherburne Gallery in Nantucket, in a 1990 issue of Cape Cod Life. “His pictures of catboats are the epitome of what every small boat owner feels about his experience on the water.”
June 2025
