Vessels in Light Airs on a River near a Town

Artist: Jan van de Cappelle (Dutch, 1626 - 1679)

Original Dimensions: 14 3/4" x 19 1/8"

Location: National Gallery of Art, London

About Artwork: (Probably 1645-55) "In the grey early light of morning, on a glassy sea, the boats in van de Cappelle’s painting hardly seem to move. There’s no wind, the sails are hardly filled, nothing disturbs the water. Even the clouds seem buoyed up in the air like balloons bouncing along gently in the vast sky. Close to us, an old fence has collapsed. It’s as if the tide has swept it away to give us a better view of the tranquil scene: fishermen in small craft almost as motionless as the water, waiting for a catch, and a boat with its topsail hoisted to catch what little breeze there is. On the left is a smallschip (a small craft designed for sailing close to shore) with the Dutch flag hanging limp. Far away on the right is the tower of a church that resembles Saint Lawrence’s in Rotterdam." - (National Gallery of Art, London)