Late 17th century

"Marine"

Cornelis Boumeester

Dutch, 1652 - 1733

Noted tile painter Cornelis Boumeester here captures a sailing ship on turbulent seas. A small figure, barely discernible, stands on the boat’s elaborately carved deck, while rough waves threaten to overtake the smaller vessel at right. You can see the initials CBM on the barrel floating in the water; the artist signed the majority of his work with either his full name or his initials.

Boumeester specialized in large tile panels with harbor scenes, seascapes, and sea battles that convey the dominant Dutch naval and merchant fleets of the late 1600s and early 1700s.