The majority of van de Cappelle’s works are marine or river views, nearly always with several vessels. He had no interest in rough seas or cloudless skies, showing large cloudy skies, with the horizon low, about 15-20% of the way up the vertical axis. The clouds are often mirrored in the dead calm water, although light ripples may be shown. As is often the case in Dutch seascapes, there is often a warship or “statenjacht,” an official yacht used for transport, official salutes and other business. The edge of the composition often slices through vessels, leaving them half seen. This painting is of a type often called “calms,” showing an all-pervading luminous atmosphere that softens all outlines and unifies forms and local colors. Or as Kenneth Clark put it: “When sky was reflected on water, there was achieved that unity of luminous atmosphere which is the whole point of van de Capelle and van de Velde.”
