Dutch Ships on a Harbour
17th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, on vellum
Dimensions
sheet: 11 5/8 x 19 1/8 in. (29.5 x 48.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anonymous Gift, in memory of Frits Markus, 1996
Accession Number
1996.229
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Willem van de Velde the Elder (1611-1693), born in Leiden, created this masterful pen and ink drawing on vellum during the 17th century, exemplifying his pioneering role in maritime art. Van de Velde established himself as a specialized ship's draughtsman, often accompanying Dutch naval fleets to sea for firsthand observation, creating on-site sketches that he would develop into meticulously detailed "pen paintings" (penschilderijen) in his studio. This work, executed in pen and brown ink with b...
About the Artist
Willem van de Velde I · 1611–1693
**Willem van de Velde the Elder (1610/11–1693)** was a pioneering Dutch Golden Age marine artist renowned for his meticulous drawings and pen paintings of ships and naval engagements. Born in Leiden to a Flemish skipper, he grew up immersed in maritime life, joining his father at sea from an early age. He married Judith Adriaens van Leeuwen in 1631, and their children included Magdalena, the marin...