Ships at a Quai with a City in the Background

Hendrick Dubbels specialized in marine subjects, and here he depicted fishermen at work, casting their nets and setting sail. The embankment at left is studded with wooden poles and anchors two ships, their sails unbound, but not completely raised. Using short pen strokes, Dubbels described the gentle ripples on the water, distinguishing the undulating surface from the distorted reflections. The figures are simplified impressions of fishermen, in contrast to the precise rendering of the ships: ropes, sails, wooden slates, and oars. A windmill is just discernible beyond the poles, while a city materializes in the distance. The drawing, executed in fine brown pen lines on luxurious parchment, was made as an independent work of art.