Artwork

A threemaster with the Amsterdam coat-of-arms, with other vessels, in a storm

A threemaster with the Amsterdam coat-of-arms, with other vessels, in a storm is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Ludolf Bakhuizen. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Ludolf Bakhuizen’s oil painting, dated 1700, depicts a three‑masted vessel bearing the coat of arms of Amsterdam surrounded by several smaller ships caught in a violent storm. The composition places the flagship in the centre, its flag prominent, while the surrounding vessels struggle against towering waves under a dark, brooding sky pierced by a sliver of light.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates the perilous nature of 17th‑century maritime trade, emphasizing the resilience of Dutch shipping even in extreme weather. By highlighting the Amsterdam emblem, Bakhuizen underscores the city’s commercial power and its ships’ role as symbols of civic pride, while the tumultuous sea conveys the ever‑present threat of nature to commerce.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on canvas, the painting showcases Bakhuizen’s characteristic handling of light and atmosphere: thick, impasto strokes render the crashing foam, while softer glazing creates the ominous sky. The contrast between the illuminated break in clouds and the surrounding gloom heightens drama, a hallmark of Dutch Golden Age seascapes.

History & Provenance

Created shortly after Bakhuizen succeeded the van de Velde family as the Netherlands’ foremost marine painter, the canvas entered the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Its acquisition date is undocumented, but it has been part of the museum’s holdings since at least the early 20th century, reflecting the institution’s interest in Dutch maritime art.

Context

The painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when sea trade underpinned the Republic’s wealth. Bakhuizen, a German‑born artist who settled in Amsterdam, specialized in storm scenes that appealed to a market eager for vivid representations of naval prowess and the hazards faced by merchant fleets.