The National Gallery of Art: Water, Wind And Waves (from July 5)

You know how you go some place to see or do one thing and then you discover something else even more amazing?  Happens to me all the time at museums.  This fantastic three room focus show drawing on works in the museum's own collection is an excellent example.  It's so brilliant that I was shocked to discover there was no catalog of the exhibition to purchase.  I had to settle for a free 12-page brochure.

The wonder of this exhibition starts in the hall outside the gallery with this amazing ship model from 17th century Holland.  Unless other attributed all the works shared here are part of the National Gallery of Art's permanent collection.

"A Fleet at Sea" circa 1614

by Hendrick Cornelis Vroom (1566-1640)

from a private collection

 Wide view of the first gallery from one side.  Model ships accompanied the paintings in both of the larger galleries.

"Dutch Ships Near the Coast" circa 1651

by Willem van de Velde the Elder (1611-1693)

"The Maas at Dordrecht" circa 1650

by Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1692)

 Detail of Cuyp's painting showing all of the activity on and around the ship.  Below is even a greater detail of this detail showing the men playing cards!

"The Pier Overlooking Dordrecht" circa 1642

by Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1692)

 Detail of the of people standing on the pier including a woman, which frankly seems very egalitarian in this time period.

"Portrait of a Boy with a Miniature Three-Master" 1696

by Pieter van der Werff (1665-1722)

from The Leiden Collection

New York, New York

Admittedly, this was an odd little painting of the boy with the model--looking at the nearby models, I also thought "lucky little guy."

"Before the Storm" circa 1700

by Willem van de Velde the Younger (1633-1707)

"Ships in a Stormy Sea" 1671-1672

by Willem van de Velde the Younger (1633-1707)

from The Toledo Museum of Art

Toledo, Ohio

 Detail from "Ships in a Stormy Sea"

"Ships in Distress off of a Rocky Coast" 1667

by Ludolf Backhuysen (1639-1708)

 A couple of details from "Ships in a Gale".  Such drama and mastery of medium.

"Ships in a Gale" 1660

by Willem van de Velde the Younger (1633-1707)

  A couple of details from "Ships in a Gale".  The story of peril and struggle and survival for some--it's either the ending or the beginning of a grand novel!

"Skating on the Frozen Amsted River" 1611

by Adam van Breen (circa 1585-1640)

Detail of "Skating on the Frozen Amsted River"

Do you think that people really did get so dressed up to go and traipse about on the ice?  It was an urban river, one can only imagine what it must have smelled like...

The final room was devoted to prints and books with maps and navigational information.  Even a couple of portraits of famous captains.