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View at the museum ↗Four-Master and Two Three-Masters Anchored near a Fortified Island with a Lighthouse, from The Sailing Vessels
Franz Huysc. 1560–62, published 1665
- Attribution
- Frans Huys (Flemish, c. 1522-1562) after Pieter Bruegel, the elder (Flemish, 1525/30-1569) published by Hieronymus Cock (Flemish, c. 1510–1570)
- Medium
- Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
- Physical dimensions
- 22.2 × 28.8 cm (8 3/4 × 11 3/8 in.)
- Credit line
- Clarence Buckingham Collection
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Source rights statement: Public domain
View the museum record ↗From the museum
The impressive detail and accuracy of the ships represented in this engraving suggest that Bruegel probably made studies of vessels in the Antwerp harbor. He carefully renders the intricacy of rigging, the geometry of masts, and curved hulls. Bruegel’s interest in such vessels belonged to a wider fascination among Antwerp citizens with the shipping trade and naval power that had become so central to the city’s booming economy. Residents of this maritime hub took great pride in the engineering of its ships and the expertise of its sailors and navigators.
Description: Art Institute of Chicago · CC BY 4.0