Jan van de Cappelle, The Admiral’s Sails

by Atelier Liesjes

Beneath a high, cloud-covered sky, a large sailing yacht lies still on the water, its sails billowing in a barely perceptible breeze. The hull is dark with gilded ornamentation; the flags at the top are red, white and blue and hang limply. On the left in the foreground, a small boat bobs about with figures looking towards the ship; on the right, a large rowing boat full of people approaches, its oars in the water, and behind the yacht, countless smaller sails are silhouetted against the horizon. The water is as smooth as glass and reflects the sails and masts. On the horizon, even more sails drift by, small as dashes. The ship is viewed from the side, with its bow to the left. In the distance, a low coastline with a small town can be made out. The sky occupies well over two-thirds of the canvas. Van de Cappelle is the painter of the calm sea. He builds up the image in layers of translucent grey, mother-of-pearl, shades of silver and the occasional warm ochre in the sails, and allows the light to break through the clouds from above. The atmosphere is humid and still; the ships seem to be drifting in a world without gusts of wind. This sense of control, with a low horizon and a vast expanse of sky, is typical of seventeenth-century Dutch marine painting, but in his work the water almost becomes a mirror of the sky. The figures in the boats are small and anecdotal; the focus is on space and light. Jan van de Cappelle (Amsterdam 1624 – Amsterdam 1679) was not only a painter but also a wealthy cloth dyer and a passionate collector of drawings, including those by Rembrandt. His tranquil, refined seascapes were highly prized in the nineteenth century and are now on display in Europe’s major museums. A serene, spacious work suited to a classical interior.