Jan Peeters, ‘A Ship and a Galley Wrecked on a Rocky Coast’

by Atelier Liesjes

The waves crash against a steep, pale rock face. On the left, a large warship is battling the storm; it flies an orange, white and blue flag, and on its broad stern is a red shield bearing a lion. In the centre, a galley with rows of oars and a fluttering sail is capsizing, its masts slanting into the water, whilst on the right a third vessel is being driven rudderless towards the cliffs. In the surf, a small boat paddles along, carrying figures trying to save themselves from the wreck. In the foreground, barrels, bales and planks float in the dark, churning water. The foam crashes high against the rocks and the water almost seems to be boiling. Above the rocks stands a castle with towers, surrounded by greenery and a blue sky.
That castle is not merely a backdrop. In seventeenth-century marine painting, the ship serves as a symbol of human life and the state, whilst the rock represents the danger threatening the soul; the castle high on the cliff stands for protection and hope. The contrast between the tranquil heights and the raging sea is therefore deliberately rendered. Peeters paints with great dedication: the hulls and rigging are sharply defined, the waves with their white crests almost tangible, the clouds heavy and layered. The palette ranges from icy white and steel blue to warm ochre brown and deep green-black. The craquelure in the paint betrays the age of the canvas.
Jan Peeters (Antwerp 1624 – Antwerp 1678) was a Flemish marine painter, brother of Bonaventura and Gillis Peeters, and master of the Antwerp guild in 1654. He prioritised drama and spectacle over topographical accuracy, as is evident from this imaginary Mediterranean coastal landscape. An impressive, narrative piece for a maritime collection.