View of Dordrecht from the Dordtse Kil

The Dutch Republic depended on international commerce and shipping for its wealth and power. Whether traveling on the open sea or through the network of rivers and canals that spread across the low-lying Rhine river delta, Dutch ships carried commodities to and from markets at home and abroad. Barges and ferries transported goods and passengers between the numerous towns and villages located along the banks of the inland waterways. Most travelers would approach these urban centers by boat, and depictions of cities viewed from across the water—combining water, ships, and a characteristic skyline—became iconic in Dutch art.

During the 1630s and 1640s, Dutch landscapes entered a monochromatic (or tonal) phase in which a single color pervades and unifies each scene. Jan van Goyen, one of the greatest early landscape artists, was particularly adept at suggesting the various moods of the land in different seasons and weather conditions. The subtle range of ochers and grays, the hovering clouds, and the limpid sails create a tranquil atmosphere. A fisherman works his traps on the left, and a sailboat takes on another traveler. The ferryman in the center foreground has just left his landing and is rowing passengers across the Maas River to Dordrecht.