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Jan van de Cappelle, 'Vessels in Light Airs on a River near a Town', probably 1645-55

About the work

In the grey early light of morning, on a glassy sea, the boats in van de Cappelle’s painting hardly seem to move. There’s no wind, the sails are hardly filled, nothing disturbs the water. Even the clouds seem buoyed up in the air like balloons bouncing along gently in the vast sky.

Close to us, an old fence has collapsed. It’s as if the tide has swept it away to give us a better view of the tranquil scene: fishermen in small craft almost as motionless as the water, waiting for a catch, and a boat with its topsail hoisted to catch what little breeze there is. On the left is a smallschip (a small craft designed for sailing close to shore) with the Dutch flag hanging limp. Far away on the right is the tower of a church that resembles Saint Lawrence’s in Rotterdam.

Key facts

Full title
Vessels in Light Airs on a River near a Town
Artist
Jan van de Cappelle
Artist dates
1626 - 1679
Date made
probably 1645-55
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
37.5 × 48.6 cm
Acquisition credit
Wynn Ellis Bequest, 1876
Inventory number
NG964
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

More works by Jan van de Cappelle

(Showing 6 of 8 works)
A Coast Scene
A Coast Scene
Jan van de Cappelle
A quiet sea under a vast sky. In spite of the calm, there’s a light wind. Grey clouds billow, with enough breaks to cast a luminous light on the water. Two slender poles in midstream mark the safe course up the river at low water, their reflections long because of the angle of the sun. The sails...
Not on display
A River Scene with a Dutch Yacht firing a Salute
A River Scene with a Dutch Yacht firing a Salute
Jan van de Cappelle
This Dutch river mouth is a busy place. Vessels of all kinds are moored close to us, and others move across the water further out to sea. Jan van de Cappelle has broken up the vast sky with moving clouds that cast deep shadows in the foreground and with geometric – almost abstract – shapes made b...
Not on display
A River Scene with a Large Ferry
A River Scene with a Large Ferry
Jan van de Cappelle
The boats crowded together on either side of Jan van de Cappelle’s painting are tough, working craft, made to carry goods and people along the coastline and the many waterways of Holland. Although the vessels are not glamorous in themselves, van de Cappelle has exaggerated the height of the masts...
Not on display
A River Scene with Dutch Vessels Becalmed
A River Scene with Dutch Vessels Becalmed
Jan van de Cappelle
Although the many craft in this picture are humble inshore vessels, Jan van de Cappelle’s vision turns their sweeping curves and luminous reflections into a majestic panorama. The sky takes up almost two thirds of the picture, but the soft, grey, formless clouds do nothing to detract from the for...
Not on display
A Shipping Scene with a Dutch Yacht firing a Salute
A Shipping Scene with a Dutch Yacht firing a Salute
Jan van de Cappelle
Jan van de Cappelle’s sea is flat calm and luminous – even the few boats that appear to be moving hardly disturb the still reflections. But there’s a sense of drama in the picture, unusual for the artist. Clouds threaten, and a fitful sun breaks through. The barge in the foreground on the right i...
Not on display
A Small Dutch Vessel before a Light Breeze
A Small Dutch Vessel before a Light Breeze
Jan van de Cappelle
From the mouth of a harbour or estuary, Jan van de Cappelle subtly leads our eye out to sea. A couple of fishermen are working with nets in the shallow waters of the foreground while the ship in the centre, flying the red and white flags of the city of Dordrecht, sets out.It is a wijdschip (a typ...
Not on display
A Small Vessel in Light Airs, and Another Ashore
A Small Vessel in Light Airs, and Another Ashore
Jan van de Cappelle
In this scene of day-to-day life on the muddy shores of the North Sea, Jan van de Cappelle has depicted a virtually windless day. We see a smalschip (a traditional transport vessel), its helmsman doing his best to catch what wind he can by setting the sails out on both sides. But they hang almost...
Not on display
Vessels Moored off a Jetty
Vessels Moored off a Jetty
Jan van de Cappelle
The sense of activity on the boats and the jetty give a greater sense of movement than in many of Jan van de Cappelle’s paintings. But, as is usual, the sea is flat and calm, giving subtle reflections of the vessels, the clouds and two porpoises swimming calmly on the left.The pilings by the jett...
Not on display
You've viewed 6 of 8 works