Hendrik Dubbels is among the leading marine painters from Amsterdam. Who he was apprenticed to remains a little mystery. In 1641, two dated works by him are mentioned in the archives for the first time, meaning that by the age of 20, Dubbels had completed his artistic training and had been admitted to the guild of artists.

The ship can be interpreted from a drawing by Willem van de Velde the Elder in the collection of Museum Boijmans-Van Beuningen (MB 1866 / T 230). Within the maritime genre, The Maarsseveen forms a fine example of a ship portrait, which was most likely commissioned. Possibly the ship’s godfather was the commissioner, the illustrious Joan Huydecoper, Lord of Maarsseveen, Council of the Amsterdam Admiralty and mayor of Amsterdam.