1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ship in Full Sail with Two Flags is a 1550 ink by Flemish 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows two large ships sailing on choppy water. One ship in the front is huge, with towering masts and billowing sails, while a smaller ship trails behind. In the distance, a rocky coastline and a third ship appear faint. The waves are detailed, with sharp lines showing the water’s movement. The artist used tiny, crisscrossed lines to build up shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It gives the scene depth without color. Next, look up technique: engraving to see how artists like this one made prints.
Flemish artists of the 1500s cast bronze reliefs and small sculptures lively with myth and scripture.
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