Delftblue tiles Tableau Canon shot Willem van de Velde

Desciption: A Dutch warship in a calm sea with its sails loosed fires a cannon shot. Two sloops float to either side of the battleship and another Dutch ship with lowered sails can be seen in the distance. The tranquillity of this scene contrasts starkly with another work from van de Velde: The Gust (adjacent), in which a storm-battered English warship drifts rudderless on the high waves.

Van de Velde (often referred to as the younger, as his father was also a painter), Made many paintings on commission as a marine painter. This work is from around 1680, during the time of the last English naval wars. The rivalry between the English and Dutch explains another work next to this one made as a counterpart:  the Windstoot, here we see an English battle ship that does not have control and grace, but is ravaged by a storm on the high seas. Since 1885 (on loan as a bequest) exposed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

This tilepanel stick on a wooden frame measures 45 by 30 cms.