At the age of 30, Louis Meijer had his debute as a marine painter showing his ‘Castaways of H.M. Steamship Willem I on the coral rocks of Lucipara near Ambon, 5 May 1837′ at a The Hague exhibition. The painting was instantly sold to the Dutch state to be installed in the Paviljoen Welgelegen in Haarlem, Louis Bonaparte’s former domicile and at the time a prominent museum of contemporary art. Meijer would make marine painting his speciality and he dominated mid-nineteenth century maritime art with his turbulent and spheric seapieces. The Dutch newspaper Handelsblad wrote shortly before his death: ‘… what Backhuysen and Schotel did has been surpassed by Meijer, who will be remembered as the Prince of Marine Painters’.

Collections: Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum; Dordrecht, Dordrechts Museum; The Hague, Haags Gemeentemuseum; Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans – van Beuningen.