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A large Dutch flagship lies at anchor in a bay, firing a salute to port. The ship is flying Dutch flags and pennants. It is flanked by a smaller boat, on the starboard side, containing an outstretched figure which appears to be boarding the ship. On the right are two other substantial vessels. White flags bearing red diagonals suggest that these two ships are probably Spanish. In the shadowy foreground, on the right, is a small boat, probably a Mediterranean vessel, similar to the vessel by the Dutch ship. A townscape, represented by turrets and roofs, appears at the base of a steep hill and rises into the sky in the background. In the foreground, the dark shadow of a fortification at the entrance to the harbour permeates the surface of the water. The entire picture is imbued with a soft golden glow which indicates its southern aspect and chromatically unites the sky with both land and sea.
Pieter van den Velde was born in Antwerp in 1634. Here, he established a modest reputation as a marine painter specializing in portrayals of turbulent seas and sea battles. Van den Velde’s early work was dominated by shipwrecks and storms. Afterwards this gave way to portrayals of calm, unruffled seas. Later, in his career his work included fantastical capriccios of Italianate harbours.
Title
Ships at Anchor off a Mediterranean Harbour
Date
1680s
Medium
oil on panel
Measurements
H 11.4 x W 15.3 cm
Accession number
BHC0851
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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Ships at Anchor off a Mediterranean Harbour National Maritime Museum -
Dutch Attack on the Medway, 9–14 June 1667 National Maritime Museum -
Dutch Men O'War in a Squall off a Coastal Town Towner -
Shipping off a Rocky Coast National Maritime Museum -
A Mediterranean Port Scene with Shipping in Choppy Seas and with a Fort in the Centre National Trust, Hartwell House -
A View of Amsterdam Seen from the River Ij National Trust, Tyntesfield