Cruising The Past Cruise News 
Scott Houston McBee’s rendering of the Conte di Savoia.
Principessa Mafalda with family and friends aboard the Conte Di Savoi.
Princess Mafalda married the Prince of Hesse. In 1943 when Mussolini was overthrown, and the King led the country into the Allied camp, both the Princess and Prince were sent to a concentration camp where they died.
Conte Di Savoi First Class passengers in dinner dress visiting the stabilizer system – a first for trans-Atlantic liners in the 1930s.
Scott McBee is a New York based artist and designer. He received his BA in graphic design and illustration from San Diego State University.
In 1989 Mcbee launched a successful career in commercial illustration, designing for such major firms as Young & Rubicam, BBDO and Ogilvy.
In addition to his commercial work, Mcbee has developed this beautiful fine art series of large scale ocean liner painting. McBee’s nautical series reflects a life long passion for ocean liners.
With painstakingly precise detail, McBee’s large format gouache paintings (typically 3 x 9 ft. on acid free 90-lb. Paper) are rendered in bright, accurate livery, and continue in the tradition of historic navel architectural painting.
SS Conte di Savoia (Count of Savoy) was built in 1932 at Cantieri Riuniti del’Adriatico, Trieste. Originally ordered for the Lloyd Sabaudo line, a merger with the Navigazione Generale Italiana meant that the ship was completed for the newly formed Italia Flotte Riunite.
The new Italia line also controlled the Rex, a sister ship to the Conte Di Savoia (though slightly larger). The Rex was completed just two months before the Conte.
The Conte di Savoia was more modern in decoration and appearance than the Rex, and is considered one of the most beautiful liners ever built.
1939 – the beginning of World War II – the CONTE DI SAVOIA (Italian Line), AQUITANIA (UK), QUEEN MARY (UK), NORMANDIE (French Line) and ILE DE FRANCE (French Line) are docked in New York City.
