JOHANNES CHRISTIAAN SCHOTEL

A SUMMER DAY IN THE DOCKS ALONG THE MERWEDE (DORDRECHT)

As a young artist, in the period before 1820, J.C. Schotel remains true to the accuracy of his own style. In later years the artist would strive towards a more traditional approach of marine painting following the style of Ludolf Backhuysen and other seventeenth century masters. The technical mastership of this large watercolour, with much attention on the atmosphere, establishes Schotels fame as the most outstanding marine painter of his generation, who could count on the favour of King William II of Holland.

The golden glow gives an idyllic impression of the docks, where workermen and sailors labour, or – as can be seen in the right foreground – give themselves over to the earthy pleasures of women and drinking. A large frigate, a man-o-war, keels over for cleaning and renovation on the bottom of its hull. Some workermen are performing labour from a raft. Half visible there is another frigate unfurling its sails.  At the right a ‘hooker’ lays for anchor, after delivering its fish cargo. This type of ship, from the late Middle Ages in use for fishing haddock, cod and plaice, would fall in desuetude after the mid-nineteenth century.

The clients of J.C. Schotel consisted of royal houses, institutions, art dealers, and very prominent and private collectors at home and abroad such as:

Tsar Nicolas I Pavlovitsj Romanov, Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland; Anna Paulowna Oranje- Nassau, Grand Duchess of Russia; Frederik Willem III, King of Prussia; Willem Frederik I van Oranje Nassau, King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Frederika Louise Wilhelmina Oranje- Nassau, princess of Prussia, spouse of King Willem I of the Netherlands; Willem II Frederik George Lodewijk van Oranje Nassau, Prince of Orange, King of the Netherlands

La Société Royale pour l’encouragement des beaux-arts, a Bruxelles; Teylers Genootschap; Der ‘Kunstverein’ Hannover

Alexander Pierre Philips Cornelis Robert de Ceva; Hendrik van Cranenburg; Adriaan van der Hoop; Robert Baron Fagel; Willem van Loon; Hendrik Six; Anne Willem Carel Baron van Nagell van Ampsen; Count Jacques- André Coghen; Thomas Leveson Gower Baron Granvill; Sir Robert Peel; John Smith.