The clouds add dramatic effect to the scene. They are shown sometimes low over the land and are, at other times, absent, revealing blue sky. The cloudy sky opens up to allow a dart of light to bear down onto the central ship and the surrounding water, while the sea’s unyielding force is heightened by the acute diagonal slant of the clouds above. On the far left the effect is sensationalized by the vivid red and orange of the sky which is viewed through driving rain at the centre of the squall.

In terms of depicting high drama and intense colour, this painting has much in common with the work of Mulier’s Italian contemporaries such as Salvator Rosa, whose influence had been steadily absorbed into Mulier’s work from the mid-1650s. The artist’s vision of the sea was influenced largely by the Mediterranean landscape. The artist lived in Italy from 1684 until his death. He has applied the knowledge and experience gained there to create a realistic depiction of weather conditions and its effects on shipping, together with a detailed account of shipping in a Mediterranean setting.