Artwork
Shipwreck
Shipwreck is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Hendrik Kobell. It dates from 1775 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The artwork captures the tension inherent in such a disaster, focusing on the boat as the primary subject of the iconography.
Hendrik Kobell's 1775 marine painting, titled Shipwreck, depicts a dramatic maritime scene centered on a boat in distress. As a work within the marine genre, the composition utilizes the vessel to represent the perilous nature of the sea and the vulnerability of human endeavor against natural forces. The title explicitly frames the narrative around a catastrophic event, suggesting themes of struggle and survival.
The artwork captures the tension inherent in such a disaster, focusing on the boat as the primary subject of the iconography.
Technique & Style
Hendrik Kobell's Shipwreck is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, a standard medium for marine art of the late 18th century. Created in 1775, the work measures 92 cm in height and 134 cm in width. As a marine painting, the composition depicts a boat amidst turbulent waters, characteristic of the genre's focus on maritime subjects. The physical construction relies on the durability of canvas stretched to accommodate these substantial dimensions.
History & Provenance
Hendrik Kobell created the marine painting Shipwreck in 1775 using oil paint on canvas. The work measures 92 cm in height and 134 cm in width. Its provenance traces back to the collection of Willem V, Prince of Orange Nassau, which later formed part of the National Art Gallery of the Netherlands. The painting is currently held by the Rijksmuseum, having previously been associated with the Mauritshuis collection.
Overview
Hendrik Kobell’s 1775 oil painting Shipwreck presents a dramatic maritime scene in which a vessel succumbs to a violent sea. Executed within the Rococo period, the work belongs to the marine genre and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Context
During the mid‑18th century, Dutch artists often turned to seafaring subjects to reflect the nation’s maritime heritage. Kobell, noted for his depictions of ships and coastal life, integrated Rococo’s decorative sensibility with a realistic portrayal of peril at sea.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrik Kobell (13 September 1751 – 3 August 1779) was a Dutch painter who specialised in landscape painting and marine art.
