Artwork

Fleet Manoeuvres Performed in the Usselmeer for Peter I During His Visit to Amsterdam

Fleet Manoeuvres Performed in the Usselmeer for Peter I During His Visit to Amsterdam is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adam Silo. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work commemorates the Tsar's presence in Amsterdam and reflects the era's focus on naval power and diplomatic display.

The painting shows a naval exercise on the IJ river near Amsterdam, staged to honor Peter the Great's visit and symbolizing the strengthening of Russian-Dutch maritime ties. Adam Silo rendered a fleet of ships of the line and smaller sailboats in dynamic motion, emphasizing the grandeur of Peter's naval ambitions and the ceremonial nature of the event. The work commemorates the Tsar's presence in Amsterdam and reflects the era's focus on naval power and diplomatic display.

Technique & Style

Created in 1698, Adam Silo's Fleet Manoeuvres Performed in the Usselmeer for Peter I During His Visit to Amsterdam is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. As a work of marine art, the painting measures 69.5 cm in height and 87 cm in width. The composition depicts maritime scenes featuring ships of the line and sailboats on the IJ, consistent with Silo's specialization in naval subjects.

The work was originally commissioned for Peter the Great and is currently held in the Hermitage Museum collection.

History & Provenance

Adam Silo created the marine painting Fleet Manoeuvres Performed in the Usselmeer for Peter I During His Visit to Amsterdam in 1698. The work was commissioned to depict naval exercises held for Peter the Great during his visit to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Originally owned by Peter the Great, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. Executed in oil on canvas, the piece measures 69.5 cm in height and 87 cm in width.

The work is held in the Hermitage Museum. Its accession number is not specified in the sources. It was part of Peter the Great's collection before entering the Hermitage. The painting has been exhibited in Hermitage Museum exhibitions focused on marine art and Peter the Great's visits to Amsterdam.

Overview

Created in 1700 by Dutch marine painter Adam Silo, this canvas records a naval display on the IJ waterway during Peter the Great’s visit to Amsterdam. A sail‑powered vessel and a larger ship of the line dominate the composition, set against a bustling harbor populated by smaller boats and figures observing the maneuver.

Context

The canvas belongs to the Dutch Golden Age tradition of marine art, a genre that flourished as the Netherlands dominated global trade and shipbuilding. Silo, known for detailed depictions of ships and harbors, contributed to this visual record of maritime prowess, documenting a specific diplomatic episode within a broader commercial landscape.

Artist & collection

Artist

Adam Silo

Adam Silo (25 December 1674 – 1760) was a Dutch painter who specialized in maritime scenes – particularly naval ships, but also trading and whaling vessels.