Artwork
Calm: the English Ship 'Britannia' at Anchor
Calm: the English Ship 'Britannia' at Anchor is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Willem van de Velde the Younger. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of human figures and smaller boats alongside the formidable warship illustrates the daily operations and scale of 17th-century naval life.
Painted in 1655, this marine work depicts the English ship 'Britannia' resting at anchor in tranquil waters. The composition features the large man-of-war as the central subject, accompanied by a longboat and figures of men nearby. By focusing on a stationary vessel rather than a naval engagement or storm, the artwork emphasizes a state of calm and maritime stability.
The inclusion of human figures and smaller boats alongside the formidable warship illustrates the daily operations and scale of 17th-century naval life.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a standard support for 17th-century Dutch marine works. Willem van de Velde the Younger rendered the scene with precise handling, using fine brushwork to delineate rigging and sails while softer strokes model the water’s surface and atmospheric haze. The composition emphasizes calm through subdued tonalities and a low horizon, focusing attention on the Britannia’s tall masts and intricate detailing of the ship’s stern.
The artist’s technique combines careful underdrawing with layered glazes to achieve luminous reflections on the water and subtle shifts in light across the vessel’s woodwork.
History & Provenance
The painting Calm: the English Ship 'Britannia' at Anchor was created in 1655 by Willem van de Velde the Younger as an oil on canvas work. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains on display.
The artwork was commissioned to document the English vessel Britannia at anchor, reflecting maritime activity of the mid-17th century. Its dimensions measure 231 centimeters in height by 160 centimeters in width.
The piece is classified as marine art and exemplifies the genre through its depiction of a man-of-war, longboat, and other nautical elements.
Calm: the English Ship 'Britannia' at Anchor is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. It was acquired under accession number NGI.1985.13. The work was part of the exhibition 'Dutch and Flemish Paintings from the National Gallery of Ireland' held at the National Gallery of Ireland in 1985.
Overview
Willem van de Velde the Younger, a Dutch marine painter active during the mid‑17th century, executed the oil painting Calm: the English Ship ‘Britannia’ at Anchor in 1655. The work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.
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.
