Notes

The artist has depicted a quiet stretch of coastline, where the early morning light breaks gently across the sky, casting soft pinks and greys through the clouds. The sea is calm but busy, the beach alive with the movements of fishermen, sailors, and townsfolk who each play their part in the rhythm of daily life.

On the right, near the water’s edge, fishermen and women gather along the sandy beach to negotiate and buy the day’s catch, nearby others search the shoreline for bits of driftwood. In these coastal towns, nothing is wasted; planks, nails, and rope will all find new life in houses, future vessels or repairs. Farther out, we see several vessels and a majestic man-of-war sits anchored proudly, its rigging and sails creating a beautiful view against the horizon.

The sea painter Adam Willaerts or Willarts was born in Antwerp where he also learnt his trade. Willaerts specialised in painting sea and beach views, characterised by a fairly schematic composition. Even when seascapes in Holland became more naturalistic, Willaerts retained the traditional composition of foreground, middle plan and background.