Artwork

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails, by Pieter Mulier the Elder, oil, 1632
Fishing boat with the wind in the sails, by Pieter Mulier the Elder, oil, 1632

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter Mulier the Elder. It dates from 1632 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

By isolating the boat and emphasizing the wind-filled canvas, Mulier transforms a routine working scene into a study of movement and natural energy.

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails is a marine painting by Pieter Mulier the Elder that depicts a boat under sail. Classified within the marine genre, the work centers on a single sailing vessel as its primary subject, with the full sails catching the wind suggesting a vessel in active motion across open water. Rendered in oil paint on panel, the composition belongs to the Dutch tradition of marine imagery in which sailing craft function both as documentary records of working seafaring life and as vehicles for conveying the dynamic interplay between wind, water, and human industry.

The Rijksmuseum holds the painting, framing it within a broader collection dedicated to Dutch maritime and cultural heritage.

The painting's meaning rests on this marriage of observation and atmosphere: the billowing sails serve as the pictorial focus, signaling both the practical power that propels fishing craft and the elemental forces that sailors contended with. By isolating the boat and emphasizing the wind-filled canvas, Mulier transforms a routine working scene into a study of movement and natural energy.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1632, this marine painting by Pieter Mulier the Elder utilizes oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 38.5 cm in height and 60 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on a boat with sails filled by the wind, adhering to the conventions of seventeenth-century Dutch marine art. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

History & Provenance

Pieter Mulier the Elder created the oil painting Fishing boat with the wind in the sails in 1632. Executed on a panel support, the work measures 38.5 cm in height and 60 cm in width. The piece is classified as a marine genre painting depicting a boat.

It currently resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is held as part of their permanent holdings.

Context

Pieter Mulier the Elder painted Fishing boat with the wind in the sails in 1632, an oil on panel marine work now held by the Rijksmuseum. Contemporary scholarship recognizes it as a characteristic example of 17th-century Dutch marine genre painting, reflecting the era's fascination with seascapes and skilled boat handling. The composition, depicting a vessel navigating under full sail against a dynamic sky, exemplifies the technical proficiency and thematic focus on maritime activity characteristic of the period's marine art production.

Overview

Pieter Mulier the Elder’s 1632 oil painting, titled Fishing Boat with the Wind in the Sails, portrays a solitary vessel navigating a choppy sea. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the Dutch marine genre of the early seventeenth century.

Sailing Vessels in a Strong Wind
Sailing Vessels in a Strong Wind, Hendrik Martenszoon Sorgh

Artist & collection

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Fishing boat with the wind in the sails?

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails was painted by Pieter Mulier the Elder in 1632-01-01.

Where can I see Fishing boat with the wind in the sails?

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Fishing boat with the wind in the sails?

Fishing boat with the wind in the sails is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Fishing boat with the wind in the sails?

Museum-quality prints of Fishing boat with the wind in the sails are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.