Artwork
After the Storm
After the Storm is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Willem van de Velde the Younger. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right on wooden plank, now illegible: W.V. Velde [J?]
About this work
Technique & Style
4 cm in width, reflecting a balanced composition where light and water interact with controlled brushwork characteristic of Dutch marine painting of the period.
After the Storm is an oil painting executed by Willem van de Velde the Younger in 1700, employing the medium of oil on canvas to achieve layered atmospheric depth and precise marine detail. The work measures 25.8 cm in height by 43.4 cm in width, reflecting a balanced composition where light and water interact with controlled brushwork characteristic of Dutch marine painting of the period. Its surface exhibits careful handling evident in the fine gradations of sky and sea, contributing to a stylistic emphasis on realism and luminous tonal modeling.
The painting’s condition has been preserved through conservation efforts documented during its transfer from the Corcoran Gallery of Art to the National Gallery of Art in 2016, where it now resides in the institution’s collection.
These formal qualities underscore the artist’s mastery of chiaroscuro and compositional rhythm, aligning with broader stylistic trends in 17th‑ and 18th‑century Dutch seascapes while demonstrating a refined handling of material that enhances the work’s visual impact.
History & Provenance
The work titled After the Storm was painted by Willem van de Velde the Younger in 1700 as an oil on canvas. It entered the collection of Robert Napier by 1865, was sold at Christie, Manson & Woods in 1877 (no. 469), then passed to J. M. Anderson, Algernon Graves, V. G. Fischer Fine Art Co., and was purchased by William A. Clark in May 1905. Clark bequeathed it to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in April 1926, where it remained until its acquisition by the National Gallery of Art in 2016.
The painting is recorded in multiple catalogues, including those by J. C. Robinson (1865), M. S. Robinson (1990), and Algernon Graves (1921), and is referenced in scholarly works on van de Velde. Its dimensions are 25.8 cm in height and 43.4 cm in width, matching the measurements documented in the National Gallery of Art’s records.
The provenance chain reflects a documented transfer from Napier’s collection through several dealers and collectors before its acquisition by Clark and eventual donation to the Corcoran, followed by its later transfer to the National Gallery of Art.
The work is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having been acquired in 2016 from the Corcoran Gallery of Art bequest of William A. Clark. Its inventory number is not specified in the sources. The painting was previously owned by Robert Napier, sold at Christie, Manson & Woods in 1877, then by J. M. Anderson in 1901, and later by Wallis before being purchased by Clark in 1905; it was initially catalogued as _Marine_ at the Corcoran.
Exhibition history is limited to its institutional display following the 2016 acquisition, with no further exhibition records provided in the sources.
Overview
“After the Storm” is an oil on canvas executed around 1700 by Willem van de Velde the Younger. The composition depicts a turbulent seascape in which three vessels battle the forces of wind and wave, set beneath a brooding sky. The work exemplifies the Dutch maritime tradition of the early eighteenth century, focusing on the precarious relationship between man‑made craft and the sea.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a storm‑tossed sea where three ships struggle to remain afloat. A vessel with a stark white sail, another bearing red canvas, and a larger, more distant ship are all caught in churning, dark water. The oppressive clouds and restless waves convey the peril of navigation and the resilience required to confront nature’s fury.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Willem van de Velde the Younger
Willem van de Velde the Younger (18 December 1633 (baptised) – 6 April 1707) was a Dutch painter who specialised in marine art.
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