The Merchant Shipping Anchorage Southwest of Texel, by Ludolph Backhuysen

Koopvaardijrede ten Zuidoosten het eiland Texel
The merchant shipping anchorage southeast of Texel by Ludolph Backhuysen, 1661
Private collection

(image 2819×2291 px, 1.87MB)

This painting shows the merchant anchorage off the island of Texel, where ships of the Dutch East Indian Company (VOC) used to gather before setting sail for East Indies. In the center there are three vessels, a boyer, a kaag and a pink, full of people loading cargo. The smaller boats are delivering supplies to the larger boyer, while its crew is busy hoisting sails.

The scene is full of dynamism in the style that distinguishes Backhuysen from his contemporaries.  The light-colored sail directs viewer’s attention to the events on board of the pink where a family of one of the departing mariners is captured in the height of excitement.

This is one of the several tranquil sea views by Backhuysen, which were inspired by works of Simon de Vlieger,Willem van de Velde the Younger, Jan de la Capelle and Hendrik Dubbels.

Source ID: #backhlm#