Jan van de Cappelle

Jan van de Cappelle was born in 1626 in Amsterdam and became one of the finest marine painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Unlike many artists of his time, he was largely self-taught and financially independent, which allowed him to paint without commercial pressure. Van de Cappelle is best known for his calm seascapes featuring ships resting on quiet waters under expansive skies. His work is distinguished by subtle light effects and delicate tonal harmony.

He carefully rendered reflections on water, capturing the stillness and atmosphere of coastal scenes. Rather than dramatic storms, he favored tranquil compositions with balanced color and refined detail. Van de Cappelle was also an avid art collector and owned works by several major Dutch masters. He painted relatively few works, yet they are considered among the most poetic marine scenes of the period. Jan van de Cappelle died in 1679. Today, his art is admired for its serenity, precision, and luminous treatment of light and sea.