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Willem van der Velde (the younger) (1633-1707)

Fishing boats in a Calm Sea, c.1680

This minutely observed painting is typical of Van der Velde's mature work, with a masterly command of the luminous effect of marine light. The boats sit on a glassy sea, so still their reflections can be seen in the water. Yet despite the calm, there is an air of controlled activity, and the sky, in contrast, is turbulent with cloud. Are the sailors making sail, or are they battening down the hatches, preparing for a coming storm?

In the foreground is a small group of tugs and barges, which points towards a larger, ocean-going vessel being approached by another barge. Her crew are busy on deck. Are they hoisting sail and taking on a last few pieces of cargo, or have they come to rest in their home port after a long voyage?

Van der Velde

Van der Velde was the most famous Dutch marine painter, a pupil of his father who shared the same name, and who brought him to London in 1672 where he entered the service of Charles II - an indication of how highly his work was valued. He never returned to his native Holland. He is known for his depictions of every-day marine scenes, and his superbly precise observation of light, something he shared with other Dutch contemporaries.