Seascape with a group of ships

The seascape with ships at the entrance to the harbour is an example of 17th-century Dutch maritime painting. The foreground shows a group of people and a dog walking along the shore. Behind them a small boat and crew can be seen as well as three ships, the main subject of the scene. The sailing ship on the left is a two-masted galley with coiled Latin-type sails and a single row of oars, typical of 16th-century ships. The superstructures for the officers are visible at the bow and stern. A richly decorated tent is spread above the stern section, as protection from the sun. This type of protection was used on galleys sailing in the Mediterranean. A hinged rudder, called a transom has been known since at least the 13th century. It is fixed in the visible wall of the flat end of the stern. The galley's crew is dressed in eastern clothing and white turbans. The flag, flying on a mast in orange, white and blue, indicates the unit's affiliation to the Dutch East India Company (nl. Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie), the first trading company in the world, which was active from 1602 and imported exclusive goods such as spices, silk, porcelain and tea from India and later Indonesia. In the centre of the painting is a galleon under sail with square rig sails at mid-mast, and to its right a caravel with folded sails of the Latin type, sailing out from between the rocks on which there are tall towers. From her port side, the rolled mast of a second galley of the same type emerges from behind the rocks. The sky is partly covered by clouds and the sun, low above the horizon and beyond the image field, illuminates the ships and casts long shadows on the slightly rippling water. The painting is signed in the lower right corner: P. de Voucht (the name was also previously read as Vought). Justyna Bądkowska