Artwork
Sailing Boats in a Tempest
Sailing Boats in a Tempest is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Schelte Adams Bolswert. It dates from 1638 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1638, *Sailing Boats in a Tempest* is an etched and engraved print on laid paper by Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert, a Frisian artist who worked mainly in Antwerp. The image presents three vessels battling a violent sea, their hulls heaving amid crashing waves and a dark, cloud‑filled sky, conveying a sense of imminent danger.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a maritime disaster: three sailing ships struggle to stay afloat as a storm rages around them. The turbulent water and oppressive clouds emphasize the fragility of human endeavor against nature’s force, a theme common in 17th‑century Northern European art that reflects both literal peril and moral allegory.
Technique & Style
Bolswert combined etching’s fine, atmospheric lines with the sharper, more decisive strokes of engraving, allowing him to render both the delicate mist of sea spray and the stark outlines of rigging. The laid paper’s ribbed texture adds visual depth, enhancing the impression of churning water and gusting wind through its subtle tonal variations.
History & Provenance
Bolswert earned a reputation as a leading reproductive engraver in Peter Paul Rubens’ workshop, producing prints after Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. While primarily known for copying paintings, this original composition demonstrates his capacity for narrative invention. The print has passed through several European collections before entering public holdings in the early 20th century.
Context
The work emerges from the Baroque period’s fascination with dramatic natural phenomena, a time when Antwerp’s bustling port inspired artists to depict the sea’s power. Bolswert’s training under Rubens exposed him to dynamic compositions, evident in the swirling clouds and the sense of movement that animates the scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Schelte a Bolswert or Schelte Adamsz. Bolswert (c. 1586 – 1659) was a Frisian engraver who worked most of his career in Antwerp where he was one of the lead engravers in Rubens' workshop. He is known for his…
