A Dutch Fleet Under Sail at Sea in a Light Breeze
Medium
Pencil and gray wash on two sheets of paper joined 11.5 cm. from the left.
Dimensions
10 9/16 x 21 in. (26.8 x 53.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.814
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Willem van de Velde I created this delicate drawing in 1665, a Dutch fleet gliding across calm waters under a gentle breeze. As one of leading marine artists of the Dutch Golden Age, van de Velde specialized in precise depictions of ships and naval life, often working directly from observation. The scene reflects the Netherlands’ maritime dominance during a period of intense trade and naval conflict, including the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Executed in pencil and gray wash across two joined sheets of paper, the work demonstrates van de Velde’s mastery of subtle tonal gradations to suggest light,...