Artwork
Haven met zeilschepen en ponteveer

Haven met zeilschepen en ponteveer is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrick Dubbels. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
It belongs to the marine genre, a specialization closely associated with Hendrick Dubbels, who was known for harbor and shipping scenes rendered in oil.
Haven met zeilschepen en ponteveer is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for Dutch marine pictures of the period. The work measures 107.0 cm in height by 171.5 cm in width, giving it a broad horizontal format suited to its maritime subject. It belongs to the marine genre, a specialization closely associated with Hendrick Dubbels, who was known for harbor and shipping scenes rendered in oil.
The painting is catalogued as a painting rather than a drawing or print, confirming the use of paint as the medium rather than any graphic technique.
History & Provenance
Hendrick Dubbels painted Haven met zeilschepen en ponteveer in 1662, executing the marine work in oil on canvas. The painting subsequently entered the collections of several Dutch heritage institutions, including the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection, Stichting Nederlands Kunstbezit, the Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, the Instituut Collectie Nederland, and the Dienst Verspreide Rijkscollecties, before being held by the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently located.
Overview
Hendrick Dubbels’ 1662 oil painting, Haven met zeilschepen en ponteveer, presents a bustling Dutch harbor filled with a variety of sailing vessels and a ferry. The composition captures a moment of commercial activity, with numerous ships of differing sizes crowding the water and a crowd of figures on the quay. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates a typical 17th‑century port, emphasizing the importance of maritime trade to the Dutch Republic. Tall‑masted ships dominate the horizon, while smaller craft loaded with passengers suggest a lively exchange of goods and people. The presence of a ferry underscores the everyday connectivity between land and water in a thriving mercantile environment.
Context
The painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when seascapes and harbor views were popular subjects reflecting the nation’s naval dominance. Dubbels, known for both winter landscapes and marine scenes, contributes to this tradition by focusing on the interplay of commerce, weather, and the sea’s ever‑changing light.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick Jacobszoon Dubbels (1621–1707) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of marine subjects and winter landscapes, who spent much of his career working in the studios of other marine artists.


















