Oil on canvas

We see two ships braving therestless waves. At front right sails a three-master with Dutch flags, and tothe left another ship with red flags. Perhaps they are engaged in battle. Onthe horizon, in the distance, we see another small ship. The sky seems to beclearing: the grey clouds are drifting away. Perhaps a storm has just raged,which would explain why the waves are so fierce.

Seascapes were not merely accurate representations of ships andharbours. They could also convey a message about life and impermanence, like aship tossed about in a violent storm. A seascape could show man’s power overthe water, or the other way round. Standing before a painting by Porcellis orVan de Velde, you can almost feel the cold wind, the pouring rain and the sprayof seawater