1656
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Shore of Inland Waterway with a Ketch, Two Smaller Boats, and Fisherman is a 1656 ink by Nooms, called Zeeman, Reinier, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy waterway with three boats. A large ketch with tall masts sits near the shore, its sails loose. Two smaller boats—one with a fisherman standing at the bow—float closer to the dock. The water is choppy, and the shore has wooden posts sticking out. In the distance, more ships dot the horizon under a cloudy sky. The artist used fine lines to show movement in the water and sails, making it look almost alive. This kind of drawing was often used to record real scenes, not just imagine them. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
Reinier Nooms (c. 1623 – 1664), also known as Zeeman or Seeman (Dutch for "sailor"), was a Dutch maritime painter known for his highly detailed paintings and etchings of ships. From the 1650s, Nooms started producing…
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