Stormy seascape with vessels, Jan Porcellis (Ghent c. 1584 – Zoeterwoude-Dorp 1632) attributable

Jan Porcellis (Ghent c. 1584 – Zoeterwoude-Dorp 1632) attributable

Stormy sea with vessels

Oil painting on canvas
73 x 96 cm. – In frame 91 x 115 cm.

Dorotheum Vienna, Old Master Paintings, 15.12.2020, lot 152, estimate €10.000-15.000 (link)
Lempertz Cologne, Paintings and Drawings 15th – 19th C., lot 1030, estimate €12.000-16.000 (link)

Full details of the work (CLICK HERE)

The evocative seascape in question shows a large galleon, attempting to continue its course with its sails partially furled despite the high waves of the storm it has encountered. In the distance, two other vessels, part of the same convoy, are also at the mercy of the raging waves.

The work presents a pictorial style that allows it to be referred to Jan Porcellis (Ghent circa 1584 – 1632 Zoeterwoude-Dorp), a painter of the Dutch Golden Age specialized in marine views, and considered a precursor of this pictorial genre.

Among the various types of marine paintings, a very widespread and appreciated genre in 17th-century Dutch painting, there is one depicting the open sea in a storm, where the authors aimed to highlight man's vulnerability in the face of the power of nature: and it is precisely the human effort to dominate the elements that is the central theme of our painting.

Our view is typical of the master, with his classic compositional style that made him highly appreciated at home and abroad: the emphasis is on the atmospheric effects of the sky, clouds, air, and water, rather than on the sailing ships, with dark clouds on the left enhancing the atmospheric effect.

Porcellis's contribution to Dutch art also lies in his emphasis on the effects of light: the composition is bathed in intense luminosity, with a cloud-filled sky emanating flashes of light that reflect off the water and illuminate the foaming waves, highlighting the painting's three-dimensionality. Strong contrasts of light and dark dominate the image, and the color palette is reduced to a few essential hues.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold complete with a pleasant antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
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