A portrait of the schooner yacht 'America' under full sail in port-broadside view. She was designed by George Steers for John C. Stevens, the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, and built in 1851 in New York to take on Britain's formidable Royal Yacht Squadron. Nicknamed the 'low, black schooner', the 'America' challenged the squadron for the Hundred Sovereign Cup (often known mistakenly as the Hundred Guineas Cup). She possessed exceptional windward abilities relative to other vessels of her time and the result was a shock to the country that had thought of itself as 'sovereign of the seas'.

Upon reaching Cowes on her first transatlantic voyage, Commodore Stevens entered the race around the Isle of Wight on 22 August 1851. The event was attended by Queen Victoria. When the 'America' crossed the finishing line, her lead was so great that the Queen asked for the name of the vessel in second place. She received the reply, 'Your Majesty, there is no second'. From then on, the 100-sovereign trophy that Stevens won has been known as 'The America's Cup', the world's most prestigious yachting prize. This cup was later presented to the New York Yacht Club who offered it to any yacht capable of defeating them. Subsequent competitions became known as 'America's Cup' races, and the cup was accepted as representing the world's blue riband of yachting. 'America' was sold to the Hon, John de Blaguiere in 1851, and in 1856 he sold her to Lord Templeton. In 1857 she was in the Royal Yacht Squadron under the name of 'Camilla'. In 1860 she was owned by a Mr Decie, who sailed her to the Mediterranean and Australia, and in 1863 she was assigned to the United State Naval Academy, Annapolis.

The context of this painting, in which little of the hull can be seen, is not known. 'America' appears to be flying the red ensign at the peak of the gaff. The pennant at the main is probably a yacht club burgee and the other one could be the owner's distinguishing flag or racing flag.

The artist came from a nautical family and travelled widely between 1885 and 1908. It is not known where he studied painting but his style closely identifies with Thomas Summerscales and Edouardo de Martino. Martino was marine painter to Queen Victoria, Edward VII and George V, and received more commissions from them than he could manage. So Fraser painted some of these for commissions for him and de Martino would then finish and sign them.