A State Yacht and Other Craft in Calm Water
The Met
Artist: Jan van de Cappelle(Dutch, Amsterdam 1626–1679 Amsterdam)
Date: ca. 1660
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on wood
Dimensions: 27 1/2 x 36 3/8 in. (69.9 x 92.4 cm)
Credit Line: Francis L. Leland Fund, 1912
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Numerous sailing boats and smaller vessels on calm water beneath a cloudy, overcast sky
Detailed Description
A wide, horizontal image depicts a busy waterway filled with various boats under a vast, cloudy sky. The overall color palette is muted, dominated by browns, grays, and pale blues. The sky occupies the top two-fifths of the canvas, featuring large, soft, light gray and pale brown clouds that suggest an overcast day, with hints of lighter blue sky peeking through in places. The calm water below reflects the sky and the boats, with subtle ripples and variations in tone. In the foreground, several boats are visible. To the right, a large sailing vessel with tall, light tan sails and a dark hull is prominent, with smaller figures visible on its deck. To its left, a smaller, dark rowboat filled with numerous figures, possibly passengers, moves across the water. Further left, another large sailing boat with a single mast and a tan sail is seen. Throughout the midground, many more sailing boats of varying sizes, with both tan and reddish-brown sails, are scattered across the water, some appearing to be fishing vessels or cargo boats. In the distance, the horizon line is low, with faint outlines of more boats and possibly a distant structure or landmass barely visible through a light haze. Small, dark figures are discernible on the decks of several boats, engaged in various activities. A small bird flies low over the water in the lower-left quadrant.
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