Een Samoureus
17th century
Medium
Etching; second state
Dimensions
sheet: 5 5/16 x 9 13/16 in. (13.5 x 24.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1920
Accession Number
20.24.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling world of 17th-century Dutch maritime with *Een Samoureus* (A Smack), an by Reinier Nooms known as Zeeman ("Sailor"). Created during the Dutch Golden Age this second-state print captures a samoureus—a traditional Dutch fishing sloop—with meticulous detail, showcasing Nooms' expertise in marine subjects. Measuring 5 5/16 x 9 13/16 inches, its compact scale belies the expansive energy of the sea, waves, and vessel, evoking the era's seafaring spirit. Nooms, active in the mid-1600s, was a master etcher who drew from his own experiences at sea, producing vivid depictions of ...
About the Artist
Reinier Nooms, called Zeeman
Reinier Nooms, known as Zeeman ("sailor" in Dutch), was a prominent Dutch maritime painter, draftsman, and etcher of the Golden Age, born around 1623 or 1624 in Amsterdam and dying there in 1664 at about age 40. Before turning to art around 1643, he led a rough life as a professional seaman, which informed his unparalleled accuracy in depicting ships, ports, naval battles, and coastal scenes—knowl...