Attributed to PETER VAN DE VELDE (Antwerp, 1634 - Antwerp, 1723/24),
"The Port of Rotterdam.
Oil on copper.
It presents restorations on the pictorial surface.
Measurements: 70 x 87 cm.
The work shows a landscape of realistic character that reflects the port of the city of Rotterdam, with a series of sailing boats of different sizes. These bring some life to the composition, as do the figures, who are shown performing different actions, which indicates a certain realism that arises from the observation of reality. In the calm waters of the sea, the large ships stand out, accentuating the drama and commotion of the scene, which has a clear Flemish heritage. The painter plunges the foreground into darkness, giving the sea waters a dark, ominous tone, which lightens in the background, reinforcing the construction of the space in depth. The scene in general is treated with a descriptive and highly narrative language typical of the Dutch school.
Peter van den Velde was a painter known for his marine paintings, who was active in Antwerp. Some art historians believe that the long life attributed to this artist may conceal two artists operating under the same name, possibly a father and son. He was born in Antwerp, where he became master of the guild of Saint Luke in 1654. Between 1666 and 1680 he is recorded in the guild as having pupils. Between 1668 and 1675 he is known to have produced 50 paintings for the Antwerp art dealers Forchondt, who exported these works to Vienna. Subsequently, Guilliam Forchondt II moved to Spain to support the family business. The question of whether he played a role in the views of Spain created by van de Velde remains unanswered.