An English Vessel and a Man-of-war in a Rough Sea
- Artist: Ludolf Bakhuizen
- Date: probably 1680s
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "An English Vessel and a Man-of-war in a Rough Sea" painted by Ludolf Bakhuizen. One of the finest of the late seventeenth-century Dutch marine painters, his skills in portraying the turbulence of the sea were famous. The sea has real depth and weight here, with waves painted in rhythm and flow.
The gale blowing off the sea puts one vessel at risk from the high cliffs in the background. Its sails are stretched to the full, straining at the ropes that hold them. A fitful streak of sunlight adds to the feeling of instability, highlighting the crew's efforts to keep the ship on course. In the foreground, a rowing boat is visible, with one man leaning into the oars.
The painting conveys a sense of danger and uncertainty, reflecting Bakhuizen's concern for communicating the risks sailors faced to those left on land. The scene is set in an imaginary location, but British ships would have been familiar to him from their frequent visits to Dutch ports.
See it in person
An English Vessel and a Man-of-war in a Rough Sea hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
