Het Schip van Capt. J. Meijer te Mogador opgebracht den 13 Aug. 1776

About this artwork

height 95 mm x width 106 mm

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching on paper by Dutch artist Simon Fokke captures a precise maritime moment from the late eighteenth century. Titled “Het Schip van Capt. J. Meijer te Mogador opgebracht den 13 Aug. 1776,” the small print (just 95 × 106 mm) records the arrival—or possible capture—of Captain J. Meijer’s vessel at the North African port of Mogador, now Essaouira, Morocco. Fokke, known for his precise documentary style, worked during a period when Dutch merchants and naval captains maintained active trade routes along the Atlantic coast of Africa. Created between 1776 and 1784, the work exemplifies the era’s growing interest in topical reportage through print. Such modest-scale etchings circulated widely as affordable news images, allowing viewers in the Netherlands to distant events. The compact format and fine line work typical of Fokke’s technique make the scene both intimate and informative, inviting close inspection of rigging, figures, and the distinctive Moroccan harbor setting. Today the print serves as a vivid historical snapshot, preserving the memory of one captain’s voyage and the broader story of European–North African maritime encounters in the Age of Sail.

About the Artist

Simon Fokke · 1712–1784

Comment on works: Draugstman; Portrait