Evening Gun: Seascape

Location

Country: Sweden
City: Stockholm
Place: British Embassy

In this peaceful, moonlit scene an impressive Dutch naval ship fires a signal as fishermen on a smaller boat prepare to return home at the end of the day.

This work was purchased for the Government Art Collection in 1963 from the collection of Sir Bruce Ingram, collector of art and former managing editor of the ‘Illustrated London News’.

Aernout Smit was born in Amsterdam and studied under artist Theunisz Jan Blankerhoff. He later painted in an attic room on the Singel canal, probably under the employment of art dealer Lauren Cornelisz de Coninck, who rented the room. Another dealer, Hendrick Meyeringh, owned several works by him and may also have been a patron. Smit’s wife, Maritie Jans Weema, worked for a grocer in Amsterdam. On the grocer’s retirement, Smit purchased the shop, which Maritie managed. In 1687 Smit reported having copied a work by artist Ludolf Backhuysen and he is generally considered to have been a follower of Backhuysen. Smit became a member of the Guild of St Luke in Amsterdam. He died aged c.70 and is thought to have been buried at the Leiden cemetery.

Places

Subjects

genre, seascape/coastal scene, evening, smoke, beach, man, ensign (ship), cannon, ship

Materials & Techniques

panel, oil

Artist

Aernout Smit (1641 - 1710)

Title

Evening Gun: Seascape

Date

Medium

Oil on panel

Dimensions

height: 55.00 cm, width: 70.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Sir Bruce Ingram, 1963

GAC number

1464