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
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.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents an English warship, the Britannia, at rest in tranquil waters. Three towering masts bear a mixture of furled and billowing sails, while a longboat, a smaller sailboat, and a few figures populate the foreground, emphasizing the routine of a ship anchored in calm weather.
Technique & Style
Van de Velde renders the scene with meticulous attention to light and surface, using subtle chiaroscuro to model the sails, hull, and water. The fine detailing of gunports, rigging and the soft cloudscape demonstrates his characteristic realism in marine painting.
History & Provenance
Born into a family of marine artists—son of Willem van de Velde the Elder and brother of landscape painter Adriaen van de Velde—Willem the Younger produced this work during his prolific period in the 1650s. It later entered the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains on display.
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.
English Warship Firing a Salute
Entrance to a Dutch Port
Ships in a calm
A Ship on the High Seas Caught by a Squall, Known as ‘The Gust’
Encounter during the Battle of Kijkduin
The skirmish of Michiel Adriaensz de Ruyter against the duke of York, commanding the 'Royal Prince'during the Battle of Solebay, 7 June 1672: episode from the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672-74)
Captured English Ships after the Four Days’ Battle
Ships off the coast