The Neapolitan port painter, Tomaso de Simone is considered to be one of the most important ship portraitists who practiced in the Italian seaport cities. The father of noted sea painter Antonio de Simone, Tomaso specialized in oils, the majority depicting warships and merchant vessels. He also created scenes of the Battles of Lissa (1867) and Alexandria (1882).

The architectural properties of Tomaso de Simone's paintings are exceptional. His hull shapes have fullness and flexibility, his rigging shows a wealth of detail. His portrait of the American continental navy frigate constellation was proven so accurate that it was used as a guide for restoration of the ship, still afloat today in Baltimore. From an artistic standpoint, his p...