Portuguese Carracks off a Rocky Coast, Circle of Joachim Patinir from the old master collection

This large, detailed panel is the oldest painting of the sea by a Flemish or Flemish-trained artist in the collection of the National Maritime Museum. It is one of the few contemporary paintings of ships of the first half of the sixteenth century and one of the best representations of the first generation of ocean-going merchantmen. The subject is generally thought to be the carrack 'Santa Catarina de Monte Sinai' bringing the Infanta Beatriz, second daughter of King Manuel of Portugal, to Villefranche for her marriage to Charles III, Duke of Savoy, in 1521. The Portuguese vessels are shown wearing Manuel's flags and emblems but were met by Italian ships during the journey from Lisbon. However, considering the distinctly Flemish style of the painting, this identification of the subject remains debatable - although Flemish artists did work in Portugal and Spain, notably (in the marine sphere slightly later) Hendrick Corneliz Vroom. That said, in this case the original function of the painting and the identity of the artist remain elusive. An examination of the oak panel suggests that it was probably originally set in a wall frame or wall panelling and, therefore, could have been part of a larger decorative scheme. This may, in turn, support the hypothesis that it is the work of a prestigious painter, depicts an historical event such as the wedding voyage of 1521, and was possibly intended for a ‘public’ space.