Ship's boats going ashore from a Dutch merchantman<br><p>A panel painting showing the ship’s boats going ashore from a Dutch merchantman. The ship dominates the painting, as it is shown at anchor off the coast. In the foreground the first of the boats has reached the shore. Laden with people the figure in the bow is shown bent over as he drops anchor to prepare to land. A nobleman is shown standing in the boat talking to a sailor. Two other boats can be seen also bringing people from the ship to the shore. A shoal of porpoises can be seen in the foreground on the left. Other shipping can also be seen in the bay and the whole painting exudes a calm and sense of realism in the depiction of the figures and delicate use of colour. 
</p><p>The artist worked in the style of Salomon Ruysdael and he has signed the painting, ‘W.V.D’ on the rowing boat in the right foreground.<br></p>
Ship's boats going ashore from a Dutch merchantman
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Willem_van_Diest" class="extiw" title="w:en:Willem van Diest"><span title="Dutch painter (1610–1670)">Willem van Diest</span></a>
</bdi>
17<sup>th</sup> century <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1650-00-00T00:00:00Z/7</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12320">http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12320</a>