Artwork
Marine
Marine is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Salomon van Ruysdael. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work titled Marine, painted by Salomon van Ruysdael in 1650, presents a ship navigating a tranquil sea, a common motif in Dutch marine art of the period.
The work titled Marine, painted by Salomon van Ruysdael in 1650, presents a ship navigating a tranquil sea, a common motif in Dutch marine art of the period. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalog, the composition emphasizes the vessel’s rigging and the gentle swell of water, highlighting the artist’s skill in rendering atmospheric effects in oil on panel. As a marine genre piece, the painting evokes the era’s preoccupation with maritime commerce and the Netherlands’ seafaring dominance, using the ship as a symbol of economic prosperity and national identity. The artwork’s provenance, recorded in the Blodgett collection, underscores its historical circulation among European art collectors.
History & Provenance
Salomon van Ruysdael’s Marine is dated to circa 1650 based on stylistic analysis and internal records, aligning with the artist’s mature period in the mid-seventeenth century. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art through acquisition by William T. Blodgett, whose collection formed part of the museum’s founding holdings. No documented commission or early provenance prior to Blodgett’s ownership is recorded in available sources.
Salomon van Ruysdael's 1650 oil-on-panel painting titled Marine is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, which depicts a ship within a marine setting, measures 34.6 cm in height and 43.5 cm in width. Historical records indicate that the piece was previously owned by William T. Blodgett before entering the museum's holdings.
While the provided sources confirm the artwork's current location, physical dimensions, medium, and former private ownership, they do not list specific inventory accession numbers or a detailed chronology of exhibitions where the painting has been displayed.
Overview
Salomon van Ruysdael, a prominent Dutch Golden Age painter, created Marine around 1650. This oil painting exemplifies the marine genre, a popular subject during the period. The work depicts a tranquil waterway populated by sailing vessels, characteristic of the artist's focus on naturalistic landscapes and seascapes. It is currently part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Technique & Style
Ruysdael employed oil paint to render a peaceful atmosphere through his handling of light and color. The artist contrasted the bright, airy tones of the sky and its soft, fluffy clouds with the deeper, more subdued hues of the water. This interplay of light and shadow, along with the detailed depiction of the ships' rigging and sails, contributes to the painting's tranquil mood and its characteristic Dutch Golden Age realism.
Context
As an uncle to the renowned Jacob van Ruisdael, Salomon van Ruysdael was a significant figure in Dutch landscape painting during the 17th century. His specialization in river views and marine subjects reflects a broader artistic trend in the Dutch Golden Age, where depictions of the nation's waterways and maritime prowess were highly valued. Marine stands as an example of this rich tradition.
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Artist
Salomon van Ruysdael (c. 1602, Naarden – buried 3 November 1670, Haarlem) was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter. He was the uncle of Jacob van Ruisdael.
- A View of the Maas at Dordrecht
Dutch ships in a harbour firing salute
A Pier Overlooking Dordrecht
River View with a Village Church
Riverview
View of Dordrecht from the North
Fishing Boats off an Estuary
Calm Water
Fishing Boats off an Estuary
View of the Merwede off Dordrecht
River View with a Man Hunting Ducks
Marine with a Rough Sea